Hearing loss and vertigo among COVID-19 patients: a review

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The clinical presentations of the COVID-9 patients vary from mild respiratory illness to fatal possible outcomes like death. SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause a wide range of extrapulmonary manifestations including sensory and neural complications like olfactory and/or gustatory dysfunction,otologic manifestations and long-term neurological complications. The association between the COVID-19 infection and hearing loss and vertigo make intuitive sense, give neuropathic manifestations of the inner ear resulting in cochleovestibular symptoms. Hearing loss and vertigo are interesting clinical outcomes associated with COVID-19 infections. Hearing loss and vertigo in COVID-19 patients have not received much attention from medical professionals. COVID-19 infection could have deleterious effects on the inner ear despite patients are asymptomatic. Hearing loss and vertigo play an important role for affecting routine activity and result in invisible handicap of the affected person and psychological solitary confinement. In current COVID-19 pandemic, some patients of COVID-19 are presenting with cochleovestibular symptoms such as hearing loss, vertigo and tinnitus. The proper understanding of the pathophysiology behind the hearing loss and vertigo in COVID-19 infections requires further research.This review article discusses the details of this epidemiology, etiopathology, assessment and management of the hearing loss and vertigo among COVID-19 patients.

A review on the impacts of COVID-19 on the auditory system: Implications for public health promotion research

“… 72 In non-COVID-19 patients, the recovery rate from SNHL after treatment with corticosteroids in the first week of disease onset, within 2 weeks and after 3 months was 87%, 52% and less than 10%, respectively. 8 …”

“… 4 The common clinical manifestations of COVID-19 are fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat, headache, gastrointestinal symptoms, smell, and taste disturbances, which may turn into shortness of breath or, into more severe cases, SARS. 8 , 10 However, COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory disease. The virus colonizes and multiplies in the respiratory system and involves the nasopharynx, trachea, bronchi, and then the lungs, which causes numerous symptoms.…”

“…5 After entry, the virus spreads systemically and causes clinical symptoms of COVID-19. 6 In fact, SARS-CoV-2 is a large, enveloped positivestrand RNA virus, and the widespread infectivity of COVID-19 poses a health threat to the world entirely, 8 The average incubation period of COVID-19 has been estimated to be 2 to 14 days after contact, 9 which has also been shown to be closely related to the immune system and the age of the patient. 4 The common clinical manifestations of COVID-19 are fever, cough, fatigue, sore throat, headache, gastrointestinal symptoms, smell, and taste disturbances, which may turn into shortness of breath or, into more severe cases, SARS.…”

Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on vertigo and hearing impairment: A post-recovery analysis

“…[9] The auditory and vestibular symptoms associated with COVID-19 present a new dimension to the disease's complexity and pose unique challenges in clinical management. [10][11][12] Vertigo, frequently characterized as a perceptual phenomenon of rotation or motion, represents a symptomatic manifestation that can markedly impair an individual's life quality. [13] It can be accompanied by dizziness, nausea, and balance issues, and arises from various causes, including inner ear disorders, neurological conditions, and, as recent evidence suggests, viral infections.…”

“…[9] The auditory and vestibular symptoms associated with COVID-19 present a new dimension to the disease’s complexity and pose unique challenges in clinical management. [10–12]…”