Hearing patterns in dominant osteogenesis imperfecta

Audiologic evaluations and impedance audiometry were obtained on persons from 13 families with dominant osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Hearing impairment appeared in the late second or early third decade, usually with a conductive loss. Older patients had mixed or sensorineural losses. There was an increasing risk for hearing loss with advancing age. Impedance tests suggested that ossicular fixation may be the primary cause of middle ear disorders in patients with mixed or conductive hearing losses. The cause of sensorineural hearing loss could not be determined. The long-term success of otologic surgery in OI is uncertain. Amplification may be a reasonable alterative to surgery.