Auditory Function of Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: A Study

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Sleep Medicine
• Audiology

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a sleep-related respiratory disorder.
• Auditory system health, including the inner ear and cochlear nerve, depends on adequate oxygen supply.
• OSAS may impact auditory function due to intermittent hypoxia and other pathophysiological mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate hearing function in patients diagnosed with moderate to severe OSAS.
• To investigate the correlation between polysomnographic findings and audiometric results in OSAS patients.
• To identify potential links between OSAS severity and specific patterns of hearing loss.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 35 patients with moderate/severe OSAS (diagnosed via polysomnography) and 30 healthy controls were recruited.
• Participants underwent otoscopic examination, tympanometry, pure-tone audiometry (PTA), and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) testing.
• The control group was screened using the STOP-Bang questionnaire.

Main Results:

• Patients with OSAS exhibited mild sensorineural hearing loss compared to controls.
• Significantly elevated hearing thresholds were observed in OSAS patients across multiple frequencies (500-8000 Hz) in both ears.
• TEOAE reproducibility was significantly reduced in the OSAS group, indicating impaired outer hair cell function.

Conclusions:

• Hearing impairment is a common comorbidity in patients with OSAS.
• Identifying hearing loss in individuals presenting with snoring warrants an assessment for OSAS.
• Early detection and management of OSAS can mitigate associated long-term morbidity and mortality.