A recent study published in British Medical Journal (BMJ) reported the first case of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) in a COVID-19 patient in the United Kingdom.
SSNHL is a common condition found in otolaryngologists, affecting about five to 160 people per 100,000 each year. In most cases, the cause of this condition is unknown, but is associated with damage to the inner ear and the neurons that connect the ear to the brain, mostly due to viral infection, immune response or stress response by body cells. Several viral infections, including herpes and cytomegalovirus infections, have been linked to hearing loss.
Hearing loss was also seen in the April COVID-19 patient. Some research suggests nerve damage and damage to cochlear hairs (tiny hairs in the inner ear that send and receive brain signals to help them see and interpret sound) are responsible for COVID-19 hearing loss. However, more research is needed to understand sensory hearing loss.
Case study
The case study involved a 45-year-old man who experienced hearing loss while being hospitalized with COVID-19.
The man was hospitalized on day 10 of symptoms of COVID-19 and required intubation. She was transferred to the ICU and intubated for a month. He developed bilateral pulmonary embolism, ventilator-related pneumonia, anemia, and pulmonary hypertension. She was given inhibitors, plasma exchange and steroids, and her condition gradually improved. About seven days after extubation, she noticed tinnitus in her left ear and suddenly lost her hearing.
The man had no hearing loss and showed no damage or inflammation in his eardrums. However, laboratory tests show sensory hearing loss. She received intratimpani steroid injection, after which her hearing ability improved slightly.
Infection or inflammation
SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent for COVID-19, uses the ACE2 receptors found on the surface of healthy cells to identify these cells. It was previously suggested that the ACE2 receptor occurs in the temporal lobe of the brain and that different ear cells have ACE2 receptors.
Experts suggest that it may be a combination of infection and inflammation caused by a virus in the ear that causes sensory hearing loss in COVID-19 patients. The study suggests that coronavirus patients should be screened for hearing loss so that they can be treated in a timely manner and that permanent hearing loss can be prevented in these patients.
In addition, further research is needed to understand the benefits of administering steroids to idiopathic SSNHL.
Read our article for more information COVID-19.
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