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Updated: Jun 11, 2025
Neuro-rehabilitation Approach for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Published on: January 25, 2016
Hearing impairment amongst people with Osteogenesis Imperfecta in Germany
A Felicio-Briegel1, J Müller2, M Pollotzek2
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany. Axelle.Felicio@med.uni-muenchen.de.
Introduction:
Hearing impairment concerns a relevant percentage of individuals with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). When looking at the current literature, the percentage of affected individuals with OI varies greatly from 32 to 58% of patients having mild OI and 21% to 27% of patients having moderate to severe OI. Little is known about the German population with OI.
Method:
The goal of this study was to detect how many patients with OI, who visited the annual meeting of the German Association for Osteogenesis Imperfecta in 2023, proved to have a hearing impairment. In this prospective, cross-sectional study, each included individual obtained ear microscopy, audiometry, stapedius reflexes, tympanometry, and OAEs. Furthermore, each patient was asked a set of questions concerning the medical history.
Results:
Of the included patients, 33% had hearing impairment. A significant difference was found for the mean air-bone gap (ABG) as well as the hearing threshold of the right ears. The difference was found between OI type III and IV (p = 0.0127) for the mean ABG and OI type I and IV (p = 0.0138) as well as III and IV (p = 0.0281) for the hearing threshold. Spearman's rank correlation showed a high correlation between age and hearing threshold. Of the patients between 40 and 50 years old, 56% had hearing loss.
Conclusion:
Hearing loss in individuals with OI is still a relevant problem, especially age-related in OI type I. Audiometry should be performed at least when individuals experience subjective hearing loss. The implementation of a screening starting at 40 years should be discussed and studied.
