[Equilibrium and auditory disorders in patients affected by HIV-1]

It is thought that about 10% of the patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have otoneurological symptoms, although up to 41% of these patients have general otorhinolaryngological symptoms. The otological changes may be divided into those of balance and those of hearing, to improve classification, although these symptoms are often to be found together in the same patient. We studied 30 seropositive patients with stage II and stage III disease, carrying out studies of oculomotricity, electronystagmography and audiometry (both conventional and high frequency). Oculomotricity changes were seen in 27% of the patients, whilst the caloric test were mainly normal. Conventional audiometry was normal, but high frequency audiometry showed neurosensorial deafness in 23% of the patients. These findings indicate probable changes in the vestibular and oculomotor pathways, with little change in the peripheral sensor for balance.