Background: Noise pollution has seriously negative effects on worker\u2019s health, especially their hearing ability. Occupational hearing loss is one of 21 insured occupational diseases. Occupational hearing loss is common in workers in transpostation, construction, energy heavy and light industry areas. Objectives: 1. To determine the degree of noise pollution in Thua Thien Hue Unity Auto Mechanical Joint Stock Company. 2. To evaluate occupational failing hearing and occupational hearing loss among workers in the company. 3. To promote preventive measures which imnimize occupational failing hearing and occupational hearing loss. Subjects and method:A cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out in 254 employees in Thua Thien Hue Unity Auto Mechanical \r\n', u'Joint Stock Company. Results and Conclusion: 72.7% the employees of Thua Thien Hue Unity Auto Mechanical \r\n', u'Joint Stock Company have exposed to environmental noise at the level higher than the permitted one. The rate of occupational failing hearing among these people is rather high (33.1%), and occupational hearing loss rate is 11.8%. There is a increased rate of occupational hearing loss according to the employee\u2019s age and seniority. Proposed preventive measures should be immediately conducted (P < 0.05).\r\n', u'
Hearing Loss ; Noise-Induced/ epidemiology ; etiology ; pathology ;

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

Child ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Bilateral ; etiology ; Humans ; Mumps ; complications

Hearing Loss ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Risk Factors

Humans ; Hearing Loss/etiology* ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/complications* ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the etiologies and clinical features for bilateral acute sensorineural hearing loss (bi-ASNHL).

METHODSThe clinical data of 19 cases presenting with bi-ASNHL were retrospectively analyzed, including the clinical features, systemic examinations, laboratory examinations, audiology and radiology results, as well as the prognosis.

RESULTSThere were 15 non-otologic diseases in 19 patients, accounting for 78.9% of the total cases, most of which were disorders with multisystem and multi-organ disorder. The central nervous system diseases including fungal meningitis, tuberculous meningitis, and viral encephalitis in 3 patients. The clinical features of deafness were bilateral, progressive, accompanied with fever, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and change of mental status. There was a decrease in speech recognition score (SRS), and speech recognition threshold (SRT) was obviously inferior to pure tone average (PTA) disproportionally. Diseases of immune system including antineural cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated systemic vasculitis (AASV), relapsing polychondritis (RP), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in 5 patients. They showed the characteristics of bilateral, progressive and simultaneous autoimmune disease. Hematological and endocrine system diseases including diabetes mellitus, leukemia, and thyroid hypofunction in 5 patients. The deafness had the characteristics of symmetry and progressivity. Otologic diseases including large vestibular aqueduct syndrome (LVAS) and sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) in 4 patients; Drug-induced sensorineural deafness happened in 2 patients. After the treatment aimed at the causes, 1 case was cured, 3 patients were markedly effective, 7 patients were effective, and 8 patients were ineffective(including dead and refusal cases), with a total effective rate of 57.9%.

CONCLUSIONSThe most of bi-ASNHL cases are often associated with systemic diseases. Clinicians should analyze the history and clinical characteristics in detail, and complete specific laboratory examinations, audiology and imaging examinations in order to reveal the causative diseases. It should be treated aimed at the etiology.

Autoimmune Diseases ; Deafness ; Hearing Loss, Bilateral ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Syndrome ; Vertigo ; Vestibular Aqueduct

The incidence of blast injury has increased recently. As the ear is the organ most sensitive to blast overpressure, the most frequent injuries seen after blast exposure are those affecting the ear. Blast overpressure affecting the ear results in sensorineural hearing loss, which is untreatable and often associated with a decline in the quality of life. Here, we review recent cases of blast-induced hearing dysfunction. The tympanic membrane is particularly sensitive to blast pressure waves, since such waves exert forces mainly at air-tissue interfaces within the body. However, treatment of tympanic membrane perforation caused by blast exposure is more difficult than that caused by other etiologies. Sensorineural hearing dysfunction after blast exposure is caused mainly by stereociliary bundle disruption on the outer hair cells. Also, a reduction in the numbers of synaptic ribbons in the inner hair cells and spiral ganglion cells is associated with hidden hearing loss, which is strongly associated with tinnitus or hyperacusis.
Blast Injuries/complications* ; Ear/injuries* ; Hearing Loss, Conductive/etiology* ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/etiology* ; Humans ; Tympanic Membrane Perforation/complications*

Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hearing Loss ; etiology ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical and imaging characteristics of chronic otitis media with intact tympanic membrane.

METHODTen patients were retrospective studied in the department of otorhinolaryngology of Guangdong general hospital from December 2006 to January 2015. The clinical characteristics of their manifestations, audiology and imaging examinations were analyzed.

RESULTSAll the cases could be divided into two groups: the intracranial complication group who was primarily diagnosed as intracranial complications, and the hearing loss group who primarily complained of hearing loss. Five cases belonged to the first group, which include 1 cerebellar abscess, 3 meningitis and 1 meningoencephalitis, 2 of them were profound hearing loss, 2 were mixed hearing loss, and 1 was normal hearing. The other 5 cases belonged to the hearing loss group, 3 were mixed deafness, 2 were conductive deafness. All the case showed positive high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) features. In the first group, four cases showed the soft tissue shadow in tympanic antrum/superior tympanic pouch and 1 case showed a wide damage of skull base, in addition to intracranial complications. In the second group, five cases showed soft tissue imaging in tympanic antrum/superior tympanic pouch. Pathology showed that 2 cases were cholesterol granuloma(one was in the first group and the other was in the second group), 4 were intracranial inflammatory(the first group) and 4 were cholesteatoma(the seond group).

CONCLUSIONSIn chronic otitis media with intact tympanic membrane, intracranial complications may be the primarily diagnosis, which should be paid much attention by multidisciplinary team. HRCT and audiology were valuable for early diagnosis.

Brain Abscess ; etiology ; Cerebellar Diseases ; etiology ; Cholesteatoma ; pathology ; Chronic Disease ; Granuloma ; pathology ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Conductive ; Humans ; Meningitis ; etiology ; Otitis Media ; complications ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Tympanic Membrane

OBJECTIVE: To explore the found ways and first diagnosis age of children with large vestibular aqueduct, and their relations with hearing loss. METHOD: Medical histories of 122 cases of children diagnosed with large vestibular aqueduct by HRCT or MRI had been collected from January 2009 to April 2014 in our hospital children's hearing diagnosis center clinic. Found ways comprise of accepting universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) group and unaccepting UNHS group. Accepting UNHS children were divided into two ears unpassing group, single ear unpassing group and passing group. The patients in unaccepting UNHS group were divided into not sensitive to sounds, speech stunting, sudden hearing loss, and other group. Analysis the relationship between the found ways and first diagnosis age and their relations with hearing loss. RESULT: There are 84 cases (68.85%) accepting UNHS, the average age of first diagnosis was (17.24 ± 17.08) months; 37 cases (31.15%) are not accepting UNHS. The average age of first diagnosis was (30.92 ± 18.21) months. The average first diagnosis age of accepting UNHS group was more earlier than the unaccepting UNHS group. The difference was statistically signif- icant (P < 0.01). There were 57 cases (67.85%) whose two ears not pass UNHS; 15 cases (17.86%) single ear not pass; namely the referral rate was 85.71%; 12 cases (14.29%) pass the test. The first diagnosis age of passing UNHS group was more later than two ears unpassing group (P < 0.001). In the unaccepting UNHS group, the average first diagnosis age of not sensitive to sounds group (19.69 ± 11.16 months) was more earlier than words dysplasia group (37.13 ± 15.62 months) and sudden hearing loss group (47.40 ± 24.70 months) (P < 0.01). The difference in the degree of hearing loss between accepting UNHS and unaccepting UNHS group had no statistical significance (P > 0.05). In unaccepting UNHS group ,the average first diagnosis age of the mild-to-moderate hearing loss group was later than the very severe hearing loss group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Most of large vestibular aqueduct children can be found and receive diagnosis early by UNHS. But part of these patients with late-onset or progressive hearing loss, especially these with mild-to-moderate hearing loss cannot be found early, which should arouse our attention.
Child, Preschool ; Deafness ; Early Diagnosis ; Hearing Loss ; etiology ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Neonatal Screening ; Vestibular Aqueduct ; abnormalities