Association of Hearing Loss With HIV in Children
Deepika Acharya1, Alok Hemal2, Chetan S Tanwar3
1Department of Pediatrics, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarajung Hospital, New Delhi, IND.
Insights
Hearing loss (HL) affects 16.67% of children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This conductive hearing loss correlates with increased HIV severity, emphasizing the need for audiology screening in HIV-positive children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Audiology
Background:
- Children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) face various health challenges.
- Hearing loss (HL) is a potential complication that requires investigation.
- Early detection and management of HL are crucial for overall child development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of hearing loss (HL) in children with HIV.
- To assess the association between HL and HIV disease duration and severity.
- To evaluate the correlation of HL with CD4 counts and viral load.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 60 HIV-positive children aged 5-18 years.
- Pure-tone audiometry was used to screen and assess hearing loss.
- Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney, Fisher's exact, and independent t-tests (p < 0.05).
Main Results:
- 16.67% of children with HIV had hearing loss, all conductive.
- HL was predominantly mild and often unilateral.
- Lower CD4 counts and higher viral loads were significantly associated with HL (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Hearing loss is a significant concern in children with HIV, correlating with disease severity.
- Routine audiology screening is recommended for all HIV-positive children.
- Timely audiological aid can improve outcomes for affected children.
Objectives:
The study aimed to assess the incidence of hearing loss (HL) in children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using pure-tone audiometry and to find the association of HL with the duration of the disease and severity of HIV infection.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was done on 60 children in the age group of five to 18 years who presented to the anti-retroviral therapy (ART) clinic for follow-up. All children were confirmed cases of HIV by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). For the study, all HIV-positive children were screened for any HL. Pure-tone audiometry was used for determining the hearing test. The degree and type of HL were assessed. The laterality of HL was assessed. The association of HL with the CD4 count and viral load was assessed. Mann-Whitney test, Fisher's exact test, and independent t-test were used for statistical analysis with a p-value < 0.05 being considered statistically significant.
Results:
HL was present in 10 (16.67%) cases, and all of them had conductive HL. Six cases had unilateral HL, while four cases had bilateral HL. In the majority (seven (70.00%)) of patients, the degree of HL was mild, followed by moderate HL (two (20.00%)) and minimal in only one (10.00%) patient. Compared to the HL- group, the HL+ group had significantly lower mean CD4 counts (483 ± 247.17 vs. 690.32 ± 301.09, p-value = 0.046) and significantly higher median viral load (2036.5 vs. 0, p < 0.0001). A significantly strong positive correlation was seen between the severity of HL with the viral load (r = 0.749, p = 0.018), and a significantly very strong negative correlation was seen between the severity of HL with CD4 counts (r = -0.809, p = 0.008).
Conclusion:
An incidence rate of 16.67% HL was found among children with HIV. HL was predominantly mild in nature, and all cases had conductive HL. HL holds a direct correlation with increasing severity of HIV disease and subsequent falling of CD4 counts. Based on the results, it is recommended that all HIV-positive children must undergo routine audiology screening to determine the HL and provide them with audiological aid.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Immunodeficiency Diseases
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency...
01:26Sexually Transmitted Infections
01:31Hearing
01:29Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
01:10Retrovirus Life Cycles