CPAP Treatment Improves Pure Tone Audiometry Threshold in Sensorineural Hearing Loss Patients with Sleep-Disordered...

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology and Sleep Medicine
• Investigating the intersection of auditory health and respiratory disorders.

Background:

• Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) are prevalent conditions.
• The relationship between SDB and SNHL, particularly in older adults, requires further elucidation.
• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a primary treatment for SDB.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of CPAP treatment on hearing thresholds in patients with SNHL and SDB.
• To determine the duration of CPAP's effect on auditory function in this patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective observational study of 77 SNHL patients with SDB (September 2016 - February 2021).
• 28 patients received CPAP treatment.
• Pure-tone audiometry assessed hearing thresholds at low, medium, high, and average frequencies at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months.

Main Results:

• Baseline hearing thresholds were associated with age, male sex, smoking, alcohol use, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI).
• Significant improvements in low, medium, and average frequency hearing thresholds were observed at 6 and 12 months of CPAP use compared to baseline.
• Hearing improvements at low and medium frequencies persisted up to 12 months of CPAP therapy.

Conclusions:

• CPAP therapy can lead to significant improvements in hearing thresholds for SNHL patients suffering from SDB.
• The beneficial effects on low and medium frequency hearing are evident after six months and sustained for at least one year.
• CPAP may be a valuable adjunctive treatment for managing hearing impairment in SNHL patients with SDB.