The New Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19) and Hearing Function in Adults

• Main Authors: Maria Y. Boboshko (Author), Ekaterina S. Garbaruk (Author), Sof'ya M. Vikhnina (Author), Larisa E. Golovanova (Author), Elena A. Ogorodnikova (Author), Anna V. Rabchevskaya (Author), Ekaterina V. Zhilinskaia (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2022-06-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.3390/ohbm3020005; 2504-463X
• Keywords: COVID-19; hearing; speech intelligibility; Russian matrix sentence test; dichotic digits test; CAPD; Internal medicine; RC31-1245
• Source: Journal of Otorhinolaryngology, Hearing and Balance Medicine, Vol 3, Iss 2, p 5 (2022)

In this study, we assessed the impact of COVID-19 on the hearing function in adults. A total of 161 subjects were examined, and the results of a previous audiological examination of 24 patients were reviewed. Pure tone audiometry, impedancemetry, speech audiometry in quiet and noise, the Binaural Fusion Test, the dichotic digits test, and a cognitive status examination were performed. A total of 81% of patients complained about hearing disorders, and 43% noted memory impairment. According to pure tone audiometry, 24% of the subjects had normal hearing, while 76% had some degree of hearing loss. No significant changes in hearing thresholds were found in comparison with audiological examinations performed before COVID-19. Disorder of monosyllabic words' intelligibility in quiet was found in 33% of patients, and in 42% in noise, along with low indicators in the dichotic digits test in 54% of patients. Moreover, 71% of patients had low scores on the MoCA scale that indicated cognitive impairment. Conclusions: The deterioration of speech test scores in patients after COVID-19 can occur due to central auditory processing disorders (CAPD), memory impairment, or changes in cognitive status in general.