In this article, the mechanism of inheritance behind inherited hearing loss and genetic susceptibility in noise-induced hearing loss are reviewed. Conventional treatments for sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), i.e. hearing aid and cochlear implant, are effective for some cases, but not without limitations. For example, they provide little benefit for patients of profound SNHL or neural hearing loss, especially when the hearing loss is in poor dynamic range and with low frequency resolution. We emphasize the most recent evidence-based treatment in this field, which includes gene therapy and allotransplantation of stem cells. Their promising results have shown that they might be options of treatment for profound SNHL and neural hearing loss. Although some treatments are still at the experimental stage, it is helpful to be aware of the novel therapies and endeavour to explore the feasibility of their clinical application.
Animals ; Evidence-Based Practice ; Genetic Engineering ; Genetic Therapy ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; genetics ; therapy ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Stem Cell Transplantation

In this paper, we aim to provide professional guidance to clinicians who are managing patients with chronic liver disease during the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Singapore. We reviewed and summarised the available relevant published data on liver disease in COVID-19 and the advisory statements that were issued by major professional bodies, such as the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and European Association for the Study of the Liver, contextualising the recommendations to our local situation.
COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/therapy* ; Chronic Disease ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/therapy* ; Hepatitis C, Chronic/therapy* ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis/therapy* ; Liver Diseases/therapy* ; Liver Neoplasms/therapy* ; Liver Transplantation ; Singapore/epidemiology*