Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 1, 2025
Semi-Automated Analysis of Peak Amplitude and Latency for Auditory Brainstem Response Waveforms Using R
Published on: December 9, 2022
Does SARS-CoV-2 affect cochlear functions in children?
Cigdem F Koca1, Turgut Celik1, Agit Simsek1
1From the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (Koca, Kelles), Faculty of Medicine, Turgut Özal University, from the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (Celik, Aydin), Malatya Training and Research Hospital, from the Department of Audiology (Simsek), Faculty of Health Sciences; from the Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics (Yasar), Faculty of Medicine, Inonu University, Malatya, and from the Department of Otorhinolaryngology (Erdur), Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey.
Insights
COVID-19 may impact children's cochlear function, potentially causing irreversible hearing and speech issues. Early detection of these auditory problems is critical for vulnerable pediatric populations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
- Infectious Diseases
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a global health concern with potential long-term effects.
- Children are a vulnerable population susceptible to various health complications following viral infections.
- The impact of COVID-19 on auditory function, particularly in children, requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the influence of COVID-19 on the cochlear functions of children.
- To investigate the relationship between COVID-19 severity and cochlear involvement using otoacoustic emissions (OAEs).
- To evaluate potential irreversible effects on hearing and speech development in pediatric COVID-19 survivors.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 24 hospitalized children, 23 outpatients, and 21 healthy controls diagnosed between June and July 2021.
- Utilized transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE), distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), and contralateral suppression of OAE measurements.
- Recorded patient symptoms, treatments, and hospitalization duration for the inpatient group.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in TEOAE results under masking were observed between the three groups at 1 kHz (p=0.033) and 4 kHz (p=0.021).
- A statistically significant difference in DPOAE test results was found at 2 kHz between the hospitalized, outpatient, and control groups (p=0.009).
Conclusions:
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) may affect the medial olivocochlear system in children.
- COVID-19 can potentially lead to irreversible cochlear function impairments in pediatric patients.
- Early identification of auditory issues is crucial for children, especially given their vulnerability to hearing and speech problems.
Objectives:
To determine the influence of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) on cochlear tasks of children who had COVID-19 previously, and the relevance among disease seriousness and cochlear involvement by otoacoustic emissions (OAEs).
Methods:
The study included 24 hospitalized children after COVID-19 diagnosis, 23 pediatrics that received outpatient treatment, and 21 children who were without COVID-19 diagnosis as the control group between June 2021 and July 2021. Transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE), distortion product otoacoustic emission, and contrlateral suppression of otoacoustic emission measurements were carried out for each child. Symptoms of patients, the treatments they received, and the duration of hospitalization of the children in the hospitalized group were recorded.
Results:
The comparison of TEOAE test results under masking showed a considerable difference between 3 groups at 1 kHz (p=0.033) and 4 kHz (p=0.021) frequencies (p<0.05). Distortion product otoacoustic emission test results of hospitalized outpatient and control group showed a statistically significant difference at 2 kHz among themselves (p=0.009).
Conclusion:
Our results suggest that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 may influence the medial olivocochlear system of children and have irreversible effects on the cochlear functions. Early detection of problems that may affect cochlear functions is a special critical task, especially in children, who are a particularly vulnerable group in terms of hearing and related speech problems.
