Is COVID‐19 to Blame for Sensorineural Hearing Deterioration? A Pre/Post COVID‐19 Hearing Evaluation Study

Abstract

Objectives Here, we aimed to (a) determine whether a clinically significant sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) change could be detected in post‐coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) hearing levels on comparing them with pre‐infection hearing levels after controlling for the effect of age and (b) to identify risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, and smoking, which increase the likelihood of hearing loss in COVID‐19 patients. Methods We retrospectively analyzed hearing thresholds in unvaccinated patient's pre‐ and post‐COVID‐19 infection. Thresholds were controlled for age and the duration between the pre‐ and post‐COVID‐19 hearing evaluations. Correlations between additional COVID‐19‐related symptoms, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking and hearing threshold changes were analyzed. Results A significant (but not clinical) threshold elevation was found post‐COVID‐19 infection. However, on controlling for age and the duration between the pre‐ and post‐COVID‐19 hearing evaluations, no significant threshold elevation was found. No significant correlation was found between hearing threshold changes and additional COVID‐19‐related symptoms, hypertension, diabetes, or smoking. Conclusion COVID‐19 did not lead to a significant hearing threshold elevation in our cohort, even among patients with additional COVID‐19 symptoms, hypertension, or diabetes mellitus or among those who smoked. Level of Evidence 3. nonrandomized controlled cohort, follow‐up study Laryngoscope , 2022

Insights into perceived listening difficulties post COVID-19 infection: no measurable hearing difficulty on clinical tests despite increased self-reported listening effort

“…Recent studies that employed structured methodological approaches reported absent effect of COVID-19 on hearing. For example, Taitelbaum-Swead et al ( 8 ) reported no difference in hearing sensitivity pre and post-COVID-19 infection (after controlling for age). When considering patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms, Visram et al (in press), also did not identify a difference in auditory function between 57 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and 40 matched non-COVID hospitalized controls when participants' hearing function was thoroughly investigated using lab-based behavioral and physiological measures.…”