Sudden Deafness and Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Infarction

Abstract

Background and Purpose-Acute ischemic stroke in the distribution of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) is known to be associated with vertigo, nystagmus, facial weakness, and gait ataxia. Few reports have carefully examined the deafness associated with the AICA infarction. Furthermore, previous neurological reports have not emphasized the inner ear as a localization of sudden deafness. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of deafness associated with the AICA infarction and the sites predominantly involved in deafness. Methods-Over 2 years, we prospectively identified 12 consecutive patients with unilateral AICA infarction diagnosed by brain MRI. Pure-tone audiogram, speech discrimination testing, stapedial reflex testing, and auditory brainstem response were performed to localize the site of lesion in the auditory pathways. Electronystagmography was also performed to evaluate the function of the vestibular system. Results-The most common affected site on brain MRI was the middle cerebellar peduncle (nϭ11). Four patients had vertigo and/or acute auditory symptoms such as hearing loss or tinnitus as an isolated manifestation from 1 day to 2 months before infarction. Audiological testings confirmed sensorineural hearing loss in 11 patients (92%), predominantly cochlear in 6 patients, retrocochlear in 1 patient, and combined on the affected side cochlear and retrocochlear in 4 patients. Electronystagmography demonstrated no response to caloric stimulation in 10 patients (83%). Conclusions-In our series, sudden deafness was an important sign for the diagnosis of AICA infarction. Audiological examinations suggest that sudden deafness in AICA infarction is usually due to dysfunction of the cochlea resulting from ischemia to the inner ear.

Sensory Impairments and Cardiovascular Disease Incidence and Mortality in Older British Community‐Dwelling Men: A 10‐Year Follow‐Up Study

“…Any inaccurate reporting may have underestimated the influence of hearing impairment on CVD and may also explain the inconsistent associations between the hearing impairment groups. Although the findings are consistent with those of earlier studies that found objectively measured hearing impairment to be associated with incident stroke,2, 3 and CVD mortality,1 another study found no association between objective hearing impairment and incident stroke 5. These inconsistent findings could be due to different pathologies that underlie different types of hearing impairment, such as sensorineural (sudden) or age‐related (gradual) hearing loss.…”

“…Evidence suggests that these sensory impairments are associated with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) (myocardial infarction (MI), stroke),1 but previous studies have been undertaken mostly in specific subgroups of individuals with sudden sensorineural hearing loss or with stroke and in middle‐aged populations rather than community‐dwelling older adults 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Therefore, the association between self‐reported hearing and vision impairment and incident CVD, MI, and stroke and CVD mortality was examined in older men.…”

Stan słuchu u chorych we wczesnym okresie udaru niedokrwiennego mózgu

“…Nagłe wystąpienie dyzartrii, zawrotów głowy, porażeń lub niedowładów nerwów czaszkowych i ogólnego osłabienia zwykle sugeruje udar. Niedosłuch jest znacznie rzadziej wiązany z udarem [5,42,106,110]. Wynika on z niedokrwienia w obszarze unaczynienia tętnicy błędnika, która jest gałęzią tętnicy przedniej dolnej móżdżku lub tętnicy podstawnej.…”

“…Pierwsze z nich polega na zebraniu wywiadu dotyczącego objawów prodromalnych choroby, którymi mogą być m. in. objawy otologiczne, takie jak: niedosłuch, szumy uszne i zawroty głowy [110], jak również zasadniczych objawów udaru. W tym celu wykorzystywane były przez niektórych badaczy kwestionariusze audiologiczne [107,110].…”

“…Prawie wszystkie doniesienia po 1944 roku (wówczas rozpoczęła się era audiometrii) dotyczące zaburzeń słuchu w udarze mózgu w panelu stosowanych badań audiologicznych zawierały audiometrię tonalną [46,69,107,110,241]. W niektórych z serii badań oznaczano średnie arytmetyczne dla tonów 0.5 -1 -2 kHz (ang.…”