Deafness ; Hearing Loss/etiology* ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Humans ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal/diagnosis*

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of meteorological factors on the onset of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Meteorological data from 2005 to 2011 were obtained from the web-based "Monthly Weather Reports of the Meteorological Administration" database. Patients with ISSHL who visited our hospital during this same period and presented the precise day on which hearing loss developed were included in this retrospective study. Twelve meteorological factors were analyzed between the days when ISSHL onset was observed as well as the days when ISSHL did not occur. The weather conditions occurring 1-7 days before ISSHL onset were also analyzed to assess any possible delayed effects of meteorological factors on the onset of ISSHL. RESULTS: During the study period, 607 patients were included for the study. Although mean and maximal wind velocities were higher for the days when ISSHL occurred than the days without ISSHL onset, after adjusting the value for multiple comparisons, we cannot find any significant relationship between any of meteorological factors and the onset of ISSHL. However, in analysis of time lag effect of the weather conditions, we found that there was still a significant difference in maximum wind speed on 5 days before ISSHL onset even after applying Bonferroni correction. CONCLUSION: The result of this study suggests that stronger wind speed may be related to the occurrence of ISSHL.
Adult ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/diagnosis/*etiology ; Hearing Loss, Sudden/diagnosis/*etiology ; Humans ; Male ; *Meteorological Concepts ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; *Wind

The prevalence of auditory neuropathy is not known, although the majority of cases are felt to lie within the population of neonatal intensive care unit graduates. We report three cases of auditory neuropathy, out of 211 children with sensorineural hearing loss, seen at our audiology clinic from April 1, 1999 to December 31, 2003. Two patients did not have a risk factor for hearing impairment. Screening policies based solely on transient evoked otoacoustic emissions testing will not detect auditory neuropathy effectively, and may falsely reassure parents and professionals unaware of this condition.
Auditory Pathways ; physiopathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Cochlear Nerve ; physiopathology ; Hearing Disorders ; diagnosis ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Male ; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors

Adolescent ; Adult ; Brain Hemorrhage, Traumatic ; complications ; etiology ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; diagnosis ; etiology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Radiography

OBJECTIVETo analyze clinical pure tone test data in patients with Meniere disease and study the changes in the audiometic curve configuration.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was conducted of the pure tone test data in 75 cases (82 ears) from 1984 to 2008. The audiometic curve configuration was divided into 6 categories to analyze the relationship between the main curve types and the clinical stages. RESULTS The most common audiogram was the peak type (46.34%), followed by the falling type (19.51%) and the mountain type (12.19%), and the dip type was relatively rare (2.43%). No significant differences were found in the rate of peak audiograms between the clinical stages. The common audiogram peak frequency occurred at 2 kHz (47.39%). The top curve of 1-2 kHz had the largest proportion in mountain type audiograms (70%, 7/10 ears).

CONCLUSIONThe peak type and mountain type configuration are one of the audiological characteristics of Meniere disease, especially for 2 kHz peak, which may serve as the diagnostic features of Meniere disease in the vertigo patients on their first visit.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; methods ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Meniere Disease ; complications ; physiopathology ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnose therapy and the postoperative curative effect of traumatic ossicular chain disruption and dislocation. METHOD: Eight cases (8 ears) with traumatic ossicular chain disruption. Six cases of unilateral conductivity deafness, 2 of mixed deafness still with conductive primarily. Eight ears all were performed tympanic exploration and ossicular replacement prosthesis, 1 ear with TORP (total ossicular replacement prosthesis). 4 ears with PORP (partial ossicular replacement prosthesis), 2 with ossicular chain reset, 1 with artificial incus reconstruction. The treatment effect was compared by the preoperative and postoperative ABG (air bone gap). RESULT: Preoperative average ABG was 42. 9 dB, the average ABG 3 weeks after operation was 22.3 dB, which reduced 20.6 dB compared to the preoperative, having a statistically significant difference (t = 22.10, P < 0.01). The average ABG was 18.6 dB 6-8 months after operation, which reduced 24.3 dB compared to the preoperative, having a statistically significant difference (t = 12.813, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION The conductivity hearing loss after traumatic ossicular chain disruption or dislocation is preferred operation treatment, and replacement should use different ways according to the operation in case, and the hearing improvement was obvious.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Bone Conduction ; Ear Ossicles ; injuries ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Mixed Conductive-Sensorineural ; diagnosis ; etiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ossicular Prosthesis ; Ossicular Replacement ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the etiology, clinical aspects, diagnosis and therapeutic strategies of acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss (ALHL).

METHODSThirty patients (31 ears) with ALHL were selected for this study. Detailed history collection, otological examination and systematic audiological evaluations were conducted. The hearing tests included pure tone audiometry, acoustic immittance, auditory brainstem response (ABR) and otoacoustic emissions (OAE). All cases received therapeutic trial of corticosteroid for 15 days with 6 to 14 months' following-up.

RESULTSALHL mainly affected young people. Low-tone tinnitus, a sensation of ear fullness and hearing impairment were the frequent complains. Otological examinations showed normal results. Mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss at low frequencies and type "A" tympanograms were found in all patients. Acoustic stapedial reflexes were elicited in 26 of 31 affected ears, and 14 of them had positive results on the Metz test. ABR responses were normal in all 20 tested ears. In 14 out of 20 ears, TEOAEs were absent and DPOAE grams at low frequencies (0.5, 0.75 kHz) were abnormal on the first visit. After steroid therapy, 24 ears demonstrated complete recovery, but 4 ears showed partial recovery and 3 ears unchanged. The total improvement rate was 90.3%.

CONCLUSIONSALHL patients are clinically characterized by low-tone tinnitus, aural fullness and hearing loss, which mainly involved unilateral ear. Audiological findings indicate a cochlear impairment, which only invades low frequency region. The basic pathological feature may be endolymphatic hydrops involves immune response. Conflicting data exist on whether ALHL is an independent disorder or a subtype of Meniere's disease. Ideal therapeutic strategy has not been established by now and corticosteroid is probably an effective agent.

Acute Disease ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; therapeutic use ; Adult ; Audiometry, Evoked Response ; Endolymphatic Hydrops ; etiology ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Meniere Disease ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Middle Aged ; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous

Widespread use of antimicrobial drugs in the management of otitis media has significantly reduced the incidence of labyrinthitis nowadays. Cases of tympanogenic labyrinthitis following acute otitis media have rarely been reported in recent literature on otolaryngology. We report an unusual case of tympanogenic labyrinthitis that presented with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) following acute otitis media in an adult who had no previous otological complaints. An audiogram revealed SNHL with pure tone threshold of 43.7 dB in the left ear. MRI was helpful to identify the inflammatory change of the membranous labyrinth. The patient's hearing returned to normal after treatment. The definite diagnosis of serous labyrinthitis was established retrospectively.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/diagnosis/*etiology/therapy ; Humans ; Labyrinthitis/*complications/therapy ; Otitis Media, Suppurative/*complications/therapy ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Tympanic Membrane