scholarly journals Audit of the Aetiological Investigations Performed in Children with Sensorineural Hearing Loss At Salford

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saud K AlHajeri ◽  
Dr Mohammed Iqbal

Objective: This project aims to look at the Audiovestibular Physician’s practice at Salford and how closely it aligns with the gold standard guidelines set in the protocol lately published by the British Association of Audiological Physicians. Method: An audit was done retrospectively on 20 patients suffering from sensorineural hearing loss. As such, patient notes were utilised to ascertain which aetiological investigations have been completed and which were not. Any inadequacy in the aetiological work up has been dissected to help know the underlying reasons. Results: All patients had a thorough history taken and were comprehensively physically examined. 95% of patients underwent imaging in the form of MRI/CT. 80% received CMV testing. 75% underwent ECG testing. 60% received family hearing tests. Only 35% had ophthalmology examinations and 25% underwent urine and genetic testing. Conclusion: In some cases, the low compliance rates were due to the Audiovestibular Physician not ordering the investigation as part of the aetiological work up. This could be improved with the use of a dedicated checklist to act as an aid to the physician. Moreover, genetic counselling has been proposed to attempt to boost the compliance rates with genetic testing and similarly, leaflets briefing patients’ families about the importance of undergoing hearing tests themselves is another promising proposition to help improve the adherence

10.2196/23047 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. e23047
Author(s):  
Heng-Yu Haley Lin ◽  
Yuan-Chia Chu ◽  
Ying-Hui Lai ◽  
Hsiu-Lien Cheng ◽  
Feipei Lai ◽  
...  

Background Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is an otologic emergency that warrants urgent management. Pure-tone audiometry remains the gold standard for definitively diagnosing SSNHL. However, in clinical settings such as primary care practices and urgent care facilities, conventional pure-tone audiometry is often unavailable. Objective This study aimed to determine the correlation between hearing outcomes measured by conventional pure-tone audiometry and those measured by the proposed smartphone-based Ear Scale app and determine the diagnostic validity of the hearing scale differences between the two ears as obtained by the Ear Scale app for SSNHL. Methods This cross-sectional study included a cohort of 88 participants with possible SSNHL who were referred to an otolaryngology clinic or emergency department at a tertiary medical center in Taipei, Taiwan, between January 2018 and June 2019. All participants underwent hearing assessments with conventional pure-tone audiometry and the proposed smartphone-based Ear Scale app consecutively. The gold standard for diagnosing SSNHL was defined as the pure-tone average (PTA) difference between the two ears being ≥30 dB HL. The hearing results measured by the Ear Scale app were presented as 20 stratified hearing scales. The hearing scale difference between the two ears was estimated to detect SSNHL. Results The study sample comprised 88 adults with a mean age of 46 years, and 50% (44/88) were females. PTA measured by conventional pure-tone audiometry was strongly correlated with the hearing scale assessed by the Ear Scale app, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of .88 (95% CI .82-.92). The sensitivity of the 5–hearing scale difference (25 dB HL difference) between the impaired ear and the contralateral ear in diagnosing SSNHL was 95.5% (95% CI 87.5%-99.1%), with a specificity of 66.7% (95% CI 43.0%-85.4%). Conclusions Our findings suggest that the proposed smartphone-based Ear Scale app can be useful in the evaluation of SSNHL in clinical settings where conventional pure-tone audiometry is not available.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jagannath Kurva ◽  
Nalini Bhat ◽  
Suresh K Shettigar ◽  
Harshada Tawade ◽  
Shagufta Shaikh ◽  
...  

Hearing loss is one of the most common sensory disorder and approximately 466 million people have disabling hearing loss worldwide. This study was conducted to identify the mutations in the GJB2, GJB3, and GJB6 genes in an Indian cohort with non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss and ascertain its use for genetic testing. 31 affected individuals with prelingual bilateral non-syndromic severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss were identified based on clinical evaluation and audiometric assessment. Sanger Sequencing method was used. Six out of 31 affected individuals showed pathogenic nonsense mutations in GJB2 gene, accounting to 19.3%. Of the 6 affected individuals, 5 were homozygous for c.71G>A(p.Trp24Ter) and one was compound heterozygous for c.71G>A and c.370C>T(p.Gln124Ter). Missense mutations [c.380G>A(p.Arg127His) and c.457G>A(p.Val153Ile)], and 3' UTR variations were also identified in GJB2 gene. GJB3 and GJB6 genes showed only silent mutations and 3' UTR variations. 19.3% of affected individuals showing pathogenic mutations in GJB2 gene in our cohort is comparable to other Indian studies (approximately 20%) and it is less as compared to Caucasian, Japanese, and Chinese studies (approximately 50%). Lower occurrence of pathogenic mutations in GJB2 gene in our cohort and other Indian studies as compared to other Caucasian, Japanese and Chinese studies, and absence of pathogenic mutations in GJB3 and GJB6 genes indicates that these genes may have a limited role in the Indian population. Hence there is a need to identify genes that play a major role in the Indian population so that they can be used for genetic testing for NHSL to aid in accurate and early diagnosis.


1989 ◽  
Vol 103 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. E. Newton

AbstractAn investigation into the causes of sensorineural hearing loss in young children has been used as a basis for determining risk factors for parents of children with a hearing loss of unknown origin having a further affected child and for the defect to be passed on to a subsequent generation. The degree of hearing loss likely to be found if further children are affected, is examined.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Célia Nogueira ◽  
Miguel Coutinho ◽  
Cristina Pereira ◽  
Alessandra Tessa ◽  
Filippo M. Santorelli ◽  
...  

The understanding of the molecular genetics in sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) has advanced rapidly during the last decade, but the molecular etiology of hearing impairment in the Portuguese population has not been investigated thoroughly. To provide appropriate genetic testing and counseling to families, we analyzed the whole mitochondrial genome in 95 unrelated children with SNHL (53 nonsyndromic and 42 syndromic) and searched for variations in two frequent genes, GJB2 and GJB6, in the non-syndromic patients. Mutations in mtDNA were detected in 4.2% of the cases, including a hitherto undescribed change in the mtDNA-tRNATrp gene (namely, m.5558A>G). We also identified mono- or biallelic GJB2 mutations in 20 of 53 non-syndromic cases and also detected two novel mutations (p.P70R and p.R127QfsX84). Our data further reinforce the notion that genetic heterogeneity is paramount in children with SNHL.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Paul R. Ratmeyer ◽  
Benjamin R. Johnson ◽  
Luis P. Roldan ◽  
Tania L. Kraai

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a severe systemic vasculitis that commonly affects the paranasal sinuses, upper and lower respiratory tracts, and kidneys. GPA has also been associated with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), through inflammation of the cochlear apparatus. Early recognition, diagnostic laboratory evaluation, and appropriate treatment are essential to improve outcomes and achieve remission for patients with GPA. Here, we present a case of bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) and distal symmetric polyneuropathy as the first presenting signs of GPA. A specific diagnostic work-up to rule out autoimmune inner-ear disease in patients with bilateral SSNHL is not clearly stated in the clinical practice guidelines from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. The aim of this paper is to delineate an appropriate diagnostic work-up for patients with bilateral SSNHL when there is concern for autoimmune disease.


Author(s):  
Natsumi Uehara ◽  
Takeshi Fujita ◽  
Daisuke Yamashita ◽  
Jun Yokoi ◽  
Sayaka Katsunuma ◽  
...  

AbstractGenetic testing for congenital or early-onset hearing loss patients has become a common diagnostic option in many countries. On the other hand, there are few late-onset hearing loss patients receiving genetic testing, as late-onset hearing loss is believed to be a complex disorder and the diagnostic rate for genetic testing in late-onset patients is lower than that for the congenital cases. To date, the etiology of late-onset hearing loss is largely unknown. In the present study, we recruited 48 unrelated Japanese patients with late-onset bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and performed genetic analysis of 63 known deafness gene using massively parallel DNA sequencing. As a result, we identified 25 possibly causative variants in 29 patients (60.4%). The present results clearly indicated that various genes are involved in late-onset hearing loss and a significant portion of cases of late-onset hearing loss is due to genetic causes. In addition, we identified two interesting cases for whom we could expand the phenotypic description. One case with a novel MYO7A variant showed a milder phenotype with progressive hearing loss and late-onset retinitis pigmentosa. The other case presented with Stickler syndrome with a mild phenotype caused by a homozygous frameshift COL9A3 variant. In conclusion, comprehensive genetic testing for late-onset hearing loss patients is necessary to obtain accurate diagnosis and to provide more appropriate treatment for these patients.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle M. Florentine ◽  
Stephanie L. Rouse ◽  
Jihyun Stephans ◽  
David Conrad ◽  
Josephine Czechowicz ◽  
...  

AbstractUnderstanding racial and ethnic disparities in diagnostic rates of genetic testing is critical for health equity. We sought to understand the extent and cause of racial and ethnic disparities in diagnostic efficacy of comprehensive genetic testing (CGT) for sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). We performed a retrospective cohort study at two tertiary children’s hospitals on a diverse cohort of 240 consecutive pediatric patients (76% publicly insured, 82% non-White) with SNHL of unknown etiology who underwent CGT. Definite and possible genetic diagnoses were assigned for each patient, representing the likelihood of a genetic cause of hearing loss. Associations between diagnostic rates were examined. 3.8 ± 2.1 variants were detected per patient; this frequency did not vary between White/Asian and Hispanic/Black cohorts. Overall, 82% of variants were variants of uncertain significance (VUS). Compared with White and Asian subjects, variants identified among Hispanic and Black children were less likely to be classified as pathogenic/likely pathogenic (15% vs. 24%, p < 0.001), and Hispanic and Black children were less likely to have a definite genetic diagnosis (10% vs. 37%, p < 0.001). The adjusted odds ratio for definite genetic diagnosis in Black and Hispanic children compared with White and Asian children was 0.19. Expanding genetic diagnostic criteria to include predicted deleterious VUSs reduced these disparities between White/Asian and Hispanic/Black children, with comparable molecular diagnostic rates (41% vs. 38%, p = 0.72). However, in silico predictions are insufficiently valid for clinical use. Increased inclusion of underrepresented groups in genetic hearing-loss studies to clinically validate these variants is necessary to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in diagnostic efficacy of comprehensive genetic testing.


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