Audiological profile of adult Long COVID patients

Degen, Chantal Vanessa; Mikuteit, Marie; Niewolik, Jacqueline; Joosten, T; Schröder, Dominik; Vahldiek, Kai; Mücke, Urs; Heinemann, Stephanie; Müller, Frank; Behrens, Georg M. N.; Klawonn, Frank; Lenarz, Thomas; Dopfer-Jablonka, Alexandra; Steffens, Sandra

doi:10.1016/j.amjoto.2022.103579

Cited by 12 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Recruitment strategy included (a) sending invitation letters ( n = 130) to people who already had participated in a previous subproject ( 20 ) of DEFEAT-Corona, (b) handing out leaflets with study information at general practices in Lower Saxony and the Office of the Public Health Authority in Göttingen, and (c) posting on the project homepage and the social network channels (Instagram and Facebook) of the University Medical Center Göttingen. Additionally, (d) participants suggested other people to participate (snowball sampling).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How do long COVID patients perceive their current life situation and occupational perspective? Results of a qualitative interview study in Germany

Schmachtenberg

Müller

Kranz

et al. 2023

Front. Public Health

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IntroductionMany people experience persistent or new-onset symptoms such as fatigue or cognitive problems after an acute infection with COVID-19. This phenomenon, known as long COVID, impacts physical and mental wellbeing, and may affect perceived quality of life and occupational perspectives likewise. The aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of how people with long COVID experience health-related restrictions in their daily life and their occupational situation, and to identify key challenges they face.MethodsGuided qualitative interviews were conducted with 25 people with long COVID. The interviews were transcribed according to Dresing/Pehl and Kuckartz and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Afterward, a systematic comparison of the data and a reflection under consideration of lifeworld-theoretical approaches (Berger and Luckmann) were carried out.ResultsThe interviews revealed that many participants have severe symptoms which strongly impair them in perform daily and work-related activities, and in their personal interests. Many interviewees already reach their stress limit during routine household activities or childcare. Of the 25 participants, 19 experienced limitations in pursuing leisure activities, and 10 of the 23 interviewees with jobs reported being on sick leave for several months. Several respondents who had vocational reintegration are still affected by ongoing symptoms that affect their work performance considerably. This leads to uncertainty, role conflicts, a decline in social contacts, and decreased incomes, which contribute to an impairment in their quality of life.ConclusionsThis study shows the huge need for specific support for people with long COVID in different areas of life. To prevent people with long COVID from finding themselves in social and economic precarity, decision-makers should develop strategies to systematically support them in their sustainable reintegration into the workforce. The focus should be on creating long COVID-sensitive workplaces, compensating for decreased incomes, and improving access to relief services such as vocational reintegration. We argue, that a shift of perspectives is necessary and that long COVID should be considered rather as a “social disease” with considerably impairments in the social life of those affected.Trial registrationThe study is registered in the German register for clinical trials (DRKS00026007).

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How do long COVID patients perceive their current life situation and occupational perspective? Results of a qualitative interview study in Germany

Schmachtenberg

Müller

Kranz

et al. 2023

Front. Public Health

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“…18 This study shows that tinnitus and vertigo are significantly more common than hearing loss in long COVID-19. 18 In addition, it was analyzed whether vaccination against COVID-19 cause sensorineural hearing loss. 9 The impact of COVID-19 on cranial nerve palsy is also being considered.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

“… 17 On the other hand, in another study evaluating hearing in long COVID-19 patients, air conduction thresholds showed a typical threshold for the average age of the subjects. 18 This study shows that tinnitus and vertigo are significantly more common than hearing loss in long COVID-19. 18 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

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Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Patients with Long-COVID-19: Objective and Behavioral Audiometric Findings

Dorobisz¹,

Pazdro-Zastawny²,

Misiak³

et al. 2023

IDR

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Introduction The symptoms of COVID-19 are primarily respiratory system disorders. Sensorineural hearing loss can be caused by COVID-19, as other symptoms in the nervous system. Hearing loss may also be the only symptom or complication of this disease or the symptoms of long COVID-19. The study aimed to assess hearing in patients after COVID-19 infection. Material and Methods The study conducted ENT and full hearing assessment in COVID-19 infection. All patients underwent complete audiological diagnostics, including threshold tonal audiometry, tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions, and auditory brainstem evoked potentials (ABR) tests. The study group included 58 patients aged 23 to 75 years who were diagnosed with COVID-19 infection six months before inclusion in the present study and reported post-COVID-19 hearing impairment. Results There were statistically significant differences between the control and study groups. Sensorineural hearing loss was found in 65.5% of the tonal audiometry test. The stapes reflex was absent in almost 20% of post-COVID-19 patients. The analysis of ABRs demonstrated longer latencies of wave III, V, and time intervals I–III, I–V in post-COVID-19 patients. Conclusion COVID-19 can damage the inner ear as well as the auditory pathway. Hearing loss may be the only symptom of COVID-19 or be a late complication of the disease due to postinfectious inflammation of the nerve tissue as a symptom of long COVID-19. Prolonged conduction of the auditory pathway shows the affinity of the virus to the nervous system as a symptom of long COVID. It is advisable to perform hearing diagnostics in patients after COVID-19 and provide them with specialist care.

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“…Recruitment of participants for both samples was carried out (a) via a call for participation on the websites of the Department of General Practice of the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) and the Hannover Medical School (MHH), (b) via posts on the social media channels (Instagram and Facebook) of the involved universities, and (c) with the help of respondents who suggested other people for participation (snowball system). To recruit participants for the one-on-one interviews, additional (d) information flyers about the study were distributed in general practices in Lower Saxony and at the Public Health Authority of the City of Göttingen, and (e) invitation letters ( n = 130) were sent to individuals who had already participated in an earlier subproject [ 33 ] of DEFEAT Corona. Recruitment activities for the one-on-one interviews occurred in January and February 2022 and for the focus groups in May and June 2022.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

How do people with long COVID utilize COVID-19 vaccination and rehabilitation services and what are their experiences with these services? results of a qualitative study with 48 participants from Germany

Schmachtenberg,

Königs,

Roder

et al. 2024

BMC Public Health

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Background Studies estimate that at least 7.5% of adults are affected by long-term symptoms such as fatigue or cognitive impairment after the acute phase of COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccination may reduce the risk of long COVID. Rehabilitation can have a positive impact on recovery. This study aims to present the experiences of people with long COVID with COVID-19 vaccination and rehabilitation. Such research is important because perceptions of these measures can impact healthcare utilization and health status. Methods 48 adults with long COVID participated in this qualitative study, 25 of them in one-on-one interviews and 23 in focus groups. Participants were recruited via calls for participation on the websites and social media channels of two university hospitals and with the help of respondents’ networks. The conversations were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Subsequently, the results were compared, interpreted, and discussed by scientific literature. Results 35 study participants reported that they had received a COVID-19 vaccination and 16 of them stated that they had utilized a rehabilitation service. These participants had varying experiences with COVID-19 vaccination and rehabilitation. Nine of them stated that they developed long COVID despite vaccination before COVID-19. Ten participants reported vaccine reactions, and two participants reported severe side effects. Two participants reported persistent deterioration of their long COVID symptoms after vaccination. This led to uncertainty about the safety, benefits, and handling of COVID-19 vaccination. However, most participants perceived the vaccine as effective regarding milder COVID-19 sequelae. Four participants felt their rehabilitation was helpful and four participants felt it was unhelpful. Two persons found the combination of inpatient rehabilitation and rehabilitation sport helpful. Conclusions Several implications can be derived from this study: (1) researchers should explore the effects of COVID-19 vaccination on long COVID symptoms; (2) vaccination campaigns should be more responsive to the perspectives of people with long COVID on vaccination; (3) care planners should build rehabilitation facilities specialized in long COVID; (4) rehabilitation providers should train their professionals regarding long COVID and develop rehabilitation programs tailored to different clinical pictures. Trial registration German register for clinical trials DRKS00026007, 09 September 2021.

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Audiological profile of adult Long COVID patients

Cited by 12 publications

References 11 publications

How do long COVID patients perceive their current life situation and occupational perspective? Results of a qualitative interview study in Germany

How do long COVID patients perceive their current life situation and occupational perspective? Results of a qualitative interview study in Germany

Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Patients with Long-COVID-19: Objective and Behavioral Audiometric Findings

How do people with long COVID utilize COVID-19 vaccination and rehabilitation services and what are their experiences with these services? results of a qualitative study with 48 participants from Germany

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