Audiological and electrophysiological evaluation of children with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

Abstract

We examined the peripheral auditory system and the auditory brainstem pathway of children with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). One hundred and one children, 51 with AIDS diagnosis and 50 normal children were evaluated. Audiological assessment included immittance measures, pure tone and speech audiometry and auditory brainstem response (ABR). The children with AIDS more frequently had abnormal results than did their matched controls, presenting either peripheral or auditory brainstem impairment. We suggest that AIDS be considered a risk factor for peripheral and/or auditory brainstem disorders. Further research should be carried out to investigate the auditory effects of HIV infection along the auditory pathway.

Avaliação da saúde auditiva em crianças com HIV/AIDS

“…However, it is alarming that this hearing loss may progressively compromise the affected regions, thus suggesting the requirement for further investigations in children with HIV/AIDS. The present study showed a higher frequency of sensorineural and conductive hearing loss in Group B children (aged 5 years or older) compared to younger children (Table 4), however, children with HIV typically experience conductive hearing loss secondary to middle ear abnormalities (18) .…”

“…A previous study (18) showed a higher prevalence of hearing abnormality in children with HIV/AIDS aged between 3 and 6 years compared to older children between 7 and 10 years. In another study (20) , the prevalence of hearing loss in patients with HIV/AIDS aged between 6 months and 5 years was 33%, which was significantly lower than that observed in this study (85%) in children younger than 5 years.…”

“…Although the population of this study, which included children aged up to 10 years, was small, it proved an adequate size for statistical evaluation compared to prior investigations of individual cases or of a similar sample population (16,17) . In studies of hearing assessment in children and adolescents with HIV/AIDS using pure-tone audiometry, conductive hearing loss was the most frequently reported type (17,18) . Author (7) observed reported conductive (58%), mixed (23.6%), and sensorineural (18.4%) hearing loss in affected juvenile patients.…”

Prevalência de alterações auditivas em crianças de risco

“…[10][11] Audiological testing consisted of distortion product evoked otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and behavioral observation audiometry (BOA), with reassessments as needed.…”

“…5,7 The Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) has proposed risk indicators to be used internationally, 8,9 supplemented by studies to adapt these indicators locally, for instance to the Brazilian context. 10,11 The purpose of this study was to verify the prevalence of hearing impairment and to correlate it with risk indicators in neonates born and monitored at a tertiary hospital.…”