EN
Can Auditory Brainstem Responses Be a Screening Tool to Assess the Brainstem of a Post-Covid-19 ?
Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate whether auditory pathways at the brainstem level are affected in volunteers with normal hearing infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is thought to localize in the brainstem and cause symptoms such as loss of smell and taste.
Methods: A total of 60 volunteers (120 ears), 30 (21 females and 9 males; M: 24.5±5.5) infected (study group) and 30 (18 females and 12 males; M: 20.7±2) never infected (control group), aged 17-45 years, were included in the study. The study group consisted of individuals who had Covid-19 and had at least one of the symptoms known to occur with the localization of the virus in the brainstem, such as nausea-vomiting, loss of smell-taste, weakness-fatigue.
The latency and amplitude values of auditory brainstem responses elicited at 80 dB nHL with LS-CE chirp stimuli were compared between the two groups. I, III, and V-wave latencies, I-III, III-V, and I-V interpic latencies, I, III, and V-wave amplitudes, and V/I amplitude ratio parameters were evaluated in the ABR test.
Results: Although no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) was observed between the study group and the control group in all parameters, it was found that the amplitudes of the waves were lower in the study group compared to the control group.
Conclusion: Although the findings did not show any significant results, the study group's worse amplitudes may indicate the presence of brainstem damage.
Keywords
References
- 1. She J, Jiang J, Ye L, Hu L, Bai C, Song Y. 2019 novel coronavirus of pneumonia in Wuhan, China: emerging attack and management strategies. Clin Transl Med. 2020;9(1).
- 2. Qu JM, Cao B, Chen RC. Clinical features of COVID-19. Covid-19. 2021;13–39.
- 3. Conde Cardona G, Quintana Pájaro LD, Quintero Marzola ID, Ramos Villegas Y, Moscote Salazar LR. Neurotropism of SARS-CoV 2: Mechanisms and manifestations. J Neurol Sci. 2020;412.
- 4. Hoffmann M, Kleine-Weber H, Schroeder S, Krüger N, Herrler T, Erichsen S, et al. SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry Depends on ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and Is Blocked by a Clinically Proven Protease Inhibitor. Cell. 2020;181(2):271-280.e8.
- 5. Iroegbu JD, Ifenatuoha CW, Ijomone OM. Potential neurological impact of coronaviruses: implications for the novel SARS-CoV-2. Neurological Sciences. 2020;41(6):1329–37.
- 6. Almufarrij I, Munro KJ. One year on: an updated systematic review of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 and audio-vestibular symptoms. Int J Audiol. 2021;60(12):935–45.
- 7. De Santis G. SARS-CoV-2: A new virus but a familiar inflammation brain pattern. Brain Behav Immun. 2020;87:95–6.
- 8. Öztürk B, Kavruk H, Aykul A. Audiological findings in individuals diagnosed with COVID-19. American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery. 2022;43(3).
Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Audiology
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Early Pub Date
December 10, 2024
Publication Date
January 1, 2025
Submission Date
January 3, 2024
Acceptance Date
September 26, 2024
Published in Issue
Year 2025 Volume: 16 Number: 1