The Effect of Different Degrees of Sensorineural Hearing Loss on Vestibular Function in Children

Abstract

Background: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is expected to negatively affect vestibular functions since the cochlea and the vestibular system are interconnected anatomically and physiologically. This study aimed to (1) assess the vestibular functions in hearing-impaired (HI) children who have no symptoms of vestibular dysfunction (VD), (2) investigate a possible association between the severity of SNHL and the presence of VD. Methods: Sixty-sex children aged 6-18 years old and free of VD were included. Participants were divided into two groups (Control group: 33 normal-hearing children, Study group: 33 HI children). HI children were divided into three subgroups (mild, moderate, and severe-profound SNHL) for the purpose of the study. All children underwent a set of audiological and vestibular assessments including pure tone audiometry, vedionystagmography (VNG), cervical and ocular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP, oVEMP), and video head impulse tests (vHIT). Results: In terms of the results of the VNG, no statistically significant difference was found between the control and study groups. However, a statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in cVEMP and oVEMP latencies, amplitudes, and asymmetry ratio and in the gain of vHIT. Moreover, a statistically significant difference was found between the 3 subgroups in cVEMP, oVEMP, and vHIT revealing that the more the severity of HL, the more VD was identified. Conclusions: VD is prevalent in HI children. An association was found between the severity of SNHL and the presence of VD in children regardless of the absence of vestibular symptoms.