Hearing levels and age in cleft palate patients

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Genetics
• Pediatric Medicine

Background:

• Cleft lip and palate (CLP) are common congenital conditions affecting facial structures.
• Hearing impairment is a frequent comorbidity in CLP patients, necessitating audiological monitoring.
• Different subtypes of CLP may influence the progression and severity of hearing loss.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare hearing levels across different cleft lip and palate subtypes: bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP), unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP), and isolated cleft palate (ICP).
• To analyze the age-related changes in hearing levels within each cleft subtype.
• To identify distinct audiological trajectories associated with each CLP classification.

Main Methods:

• Tonal audiometry was employed to assess hearing thresholds.
• Data were collected from 57 patients with BCLP, 124 patients with UCLP, and 62 patients with ICP.
• Audiometric data were stratified and analyzed according to age groups.

Main Results:

• Isolated cleft palate patients exhibited greater hearing improvement with age, showing the lowest prevalence of hearing levels <40 dB and the highest prevalence of 11-20 dB in adulthood.
• Bilateral cleft lip and palate patients had a higher frequency of hearing levels between 21-40 dB in both childhood and adulthood compared to ICP patients.
• Unilateral cleft lip and palate and BCLP patients showed a slower decline in hearing loss frequency with age; hearing improved only in the 21-40 dB range, with no significant change above 40 dB.

Conclusions:

• Hearing outcomes in cleft palate patients vary significantly based on the specific type of cleft.
• Isolated cleft palate is associated with more favorable long-term hearing trajectories compared to UCLP and BCLP.
• Early and continuous audiological assessment is crucial for managing hearing loss in all CLP subtypes, with tailored management strategies potentially needed for BCLP and UCLP.