High-frequency audiometry, speech perception in quiet and noise, and vestibular-evoked myogenic potential in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract

Purpose The study aimed to investigate the effect of PCOS on high-frequency thresholds, speech perception in quiet and in presence of noise, and vestibular functioning in women with and without PCOS and to correlate the speech perception scores with that of the pure-tone thresholds obtained at conventional and higher frequencies. Methods Women with and without PCOS in the age range of 18–40 years diagnosed between January 2019 and January 2020 were participants. Conventional and high-frequency audiometry (HFA), speech perception in quiet and in noise (SPIN), and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP) and ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMP) were assessed for both groups. Results Conventional audiometry (250 Hz to 8000 Hz) showed no statistically significant difference between both groups. High-frequency audiometry (9000 Hz to 20,000 Hz) showed significantly poorer pure-tone thresholds for women with PCOS compared to women without PCOS. SPIN results showed significantly lower SPIN scores for women with PCOS for − 3dB SNR, − 6 dB SNR, and − 9dB SNR. No difference in scores was observed for quiet conditions and 0 dB SNR for women with and without PCOS. cVEMP and oVEMP responses showed reduced amplitude in women with PCOS. Conclusion All the women diagnosed with having PCOS should be screened for hearing loss, speech perception difficulty in quiet and in presence of noise, and vestibular system functioning. If the hearing is affected, intervention should be started early in life.