Otologic and Audiologic Findings of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients

Abstract Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can cause some of the symptoms and diseases in ENT field. However, there are a few reports from developing countries and there is not any report on this issue. On the other hand, the prevalence of HIV positive (symptomatic or asymptomatic) patients is increasing across the nation. Awareness of these complications of hearing system can result in early intervention and improve patient's quality of life. Determining the otologic and audiologic findings in HIV positive patients A descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed on the 30 HIV positive patients referred from number-10 medical-therapeutic center of Rasht to Amiralmomenin hospital from April 2011 to March 2012. The senior resident of ENT- HNS took a comprehensive medical history and performed full clinical examination in the auditory system. In all patients, audiometric tests including tympanometry, pure tone audiometry, transient otoacoustic emissions (TOAEs) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) were done. Of the 30 HIV -positive patients, 21 were male and 9 were female. Of these, 2 patients were in the AIDS phase. The mean age of patients was 36.27 ± 9.71 years (range 24-56), and 8 patients complained of otic symptoms: dizziness (7 cases), tinnitus (4 cases), otalgia and fullness (each 3 cases). In audiometry, we found hearing loss in 8 of 60 ears (6 patients). The conductive and sensorineural hearing losses were found in 4 and 4 ears, respectively. As revealed, 21 out of 30 patients (70%) had abnormal TOAE. Also, in 9 out of 30 patients (30%), we observed ABR abnormality, with increased interpeak of wave I-III (14 ears)being the most frequent. Given the high prevalence of TOAEs abnormality in these patients and increased interpeak of waves I-III in ABR, it seems that the locus of ear damage is the outer hair cells of cochlea and distal part of the central auditory pathway and TOAEs is more sensitive than PTA and with ABR test it can help early detection of hearing loss in such patients.