Audiological profile of patients with sars-co-v-2 pcr-positive cases

Abstract

COVID-19 is a new pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19 has spread throughout China and re-ceived worldwide attention. On 11 February 2020, World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared COVID-19. The clinical symptoms of COVID-19 patients may vary, more often include symptoms affected by upper and lower respiratory tract dam-age. In ENT practice it is used to mention rhinitis, sore throat, anosmia/hyposmia. The effect of COVID-19 is an interesting issue in audiology. There were 78 patients who were confirmed positive for COVID-19 PCR-positive cases and 30 normal non-infect-ed subjects in our study. The patients were divided into two groups according to severity their clinical symptoms from asymp-tomatic COVID-19 PCR-positive cases to severe form. All patients underwent audiological evaluation included tympanometry, acoustic threshold and transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE). Although hearing sensitivity was normal among some par-ticipants, it was statistically proved that TEOAEs could pick up subtle deterioration in the outer hair cells functions and impact on the cochlear.