Auditory Function in the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study Adolescent Master Protocol Up Young Adults: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Perinatally acquired HIV (PHIV) can impact long-term health, including auditory function.
• Understanding hearing health in young adults with PHIV is crucial for monitoring and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare hearing measures between young adults with perinatally acquired HIV (YAPHIV) and uninfected young adults with perinatal HIV exposure (YAPHEU).
• To assess peripheral hearing and cochlear function in these groups.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving pure-tone audiometry and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) was conducted.
• Hearing loss was defined by specific pure-tone average (PTA) thresholds.
• Linear regression models analyzed associations between hearing measures and HIV status.

Main Results:

• Hearing loss was observed in 15.2% of YAPHIV compared to 0% of YAPHEU.
• Adjusted mean PTAs and DPOAE signal-to-noise ratios were similar between the two groups.
• No associations were found between HIV disease severity and hearing outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Peripheral hearing and cochlear function appear similar between YAPHIV and YAPHEU in this pilot study.
• A higher incidence of hearing loss was noted in YAPHIV.
• Larger studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.