Does COVID-19 have an impact on hearing?

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Infectious Diseases
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is recognized as a neurotrophic virus.
• The specific impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the human auditory system remains largely undetermined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential effects of COVID-19 on hearing function.
• To assess changes in auditory thresholds and otoacoustic emissions following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 30 healthcare workers with a history of COVID-19 within the past year underwent hearing evaluations.
• Pure tone audiometry (PTA) and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) tests were conducted during active infection and at one month post-treatment.
• Otoscopic examinations were also performed for all participants.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant reduction in hearing levels was observed exclusively at the 1000 Hz frequency (p < .05) when comparing pre- and post-COVID-19 PTA results in 30 patients.
• No significant hearing differences were detected at other tested frequencies.
• Comparisons of PTA and TEOAE results between the active infection period and post-treatment phases in 15 patients revealed no significant changes.

Conclusions:

• The findings suggest a potential link between COVID-19 infection and hearing loss, particularly at specific frequencies.
• Further comprehensive studies involving larger patient cohorts are warranted to validate these preliminary results and elucidate the precise relationship between SARS-CoV-2 and auditory health.