-
Frontiers in Neurology 2023The recognition of Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) as a distinct clinical condition that impacts hearing capacity and mental health has gained attention. Although... (Review)
Review
The recognition of Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) as a distinct clinical condition that impacts hearing capacity and mental health has gained attention. Although pure tone audiometry is the gold standard for assessing hearing, it inadequately reflects everyday hearing abilities, especially in challenging acoustic environments. Deficits in speech perception in noise, a key aspect of APD, have been linked to an increased risk of dementia. The World Health Organization emphasizes the need for evaluating central auditory function in cases of mild hearing loss and normal audiometry results. Specific questionnaires play a crucial role in documenting and quantifying the difficulties faced by individuals with APD. Validated questionnaires such as the Children's Auditory Processing Performance Scale, the Fisher's Auditory Problems Checklist, and the Auditory Processing Domains Questionnaire are available for children, while questionnaires for adults include items related to auditory functions associated with APD. This systematic review and meta-analysis identified six questionnaires used for screening and evaluating APD with a total of 783 participants across 12 studies. The questionnaires exhibited differences in domains evaluated, scoring methods, and evaluation of listening in quiet and noise. Meta-analysis results demonstrated that individuals with APD consistently exhibited worse scores compared to healthy controls across all questionnaires. Additionally, comparisons with clinical control groups showed varying results. The study highlights (i) the importance of standardized questionnaires in identifying and assessing APD, aiding in its diagnosis and management, and (ii) the need to use sub-scores as well as overall scores of questionnaires to elaborate on specific hearing and listening situations. There is a need to develop more APD specific questionnaires for the adult population as well as for more focused research on APD diagnosed individuals to further establish the validity and reliability of these questionnaires.
PubMed: 37621857
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1243170 -
Genetics in Medicine : Official Journal... Sep 2022Genes associated with nonsyndromic hearing loss are commonly included in reproductive carrier screening panels, which are now routinely offered in preconception and... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Genes associated with nonsyndromic hearing loss are commonly included in reproductive carrier screening panels, which are now routinely offered in preconception and prenatal care in many countries. However, there is debate whether hearing loss should be considered a medical condition appropriate for screening. This systematic review assessed research on opinions of those with a lived experience of deafness and the general public regarding genetic testing for deafness in the reproductive setting.
METHODS
Search of 5 online databases yielded 423 articles, 20 of which met inclusion criteria. We assessed the quality of each study, extracted data, and performed thematic analysis on qualitative studies.
RESULTS
Most studies indicated interest in the use of prenatal diagnosis for deafness. However, there were mixed views, and sometimes strongly held views, expressed regarding the reproductive options that should be available to those with an increased chance of having a child with deafness. Studies were small, from a limited number of countries, and most were too old to include views regarding preimplantation genetic testing.
CONCLUSION
There is a broad range of views regarding the use of reproductive options for deafness. Further research is essential to explore the benefits and harms of including nonsyndromic hearing loss genes in carrier screening.
Topics: Child; Deafness; Female; Genetic Testing; Humans; Pregnancy; Prenatal Diagnosis; Reproduction
PubMed: 35659827
DOI: 10.1016/j.gim.2022.05.005 -
Ear, Nose, & Throat Journal Apr 2023Diabetes is associated with a risk of idiopathic sudden deafness. The main treatment of diabetic sudden deafness is systemic and topical application of steroids. Topical... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Diabetes is associated with a risk of idiopathic sudden deafness. The main treatment of diabetic sudden deafness is systemic and topical application of steroids. Topical steroid therapy reduces systemic adverse reactions compared with systemic therapy.
PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis design on the improvement value and recovery rate of pure tone mean hearing threshold (PTA).To investigate whether there is difference between local and systemic steroid treatment as the initial treatment for sudden deafness patients with diabetes.
METHODS
We searched databases from publication date to October 1, 2022 including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, web of science, CNKI, Wan fang Database, China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), and VIP information resource system. A systematic literature review was conducted on the efficacy and safety of local and systemic steroid therapy for diabetic sudden deafness. RevMan5.4 and stata14 software were used for Meta-analysis.
RESULTS
A total of 23 studies were included in this study, covering 1777 patients, including 885 cases in the observation group (local steroid group) and 894 cases in the control group (systemic steroid group). Meta-analysis showed that there was a significant difference in the total effective rate of local and systemic steroid treatment for diabetic sudden deafness between groups (RR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.11-1.22, < 0.05). The effective rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group. For the improvement of PTA, the difference between groups was statistically significant (RR = 6.60, 95% CI = 3.07-10.14, < 0.05). The improvement of PTA in the local steroid group was higher than that in the systemic steroid group. Subgroup analysis showed that there were significant differences between groups in hormones, drug administration, follow-up time and course of disease.
CONCLUSION
Topical steroid therapy is effective in the treatment of diabetic sudden deafness. Hormone methylprednisolone has high effective rate; the shorter the course of disease and the longer the follow-up time are, the higher the total effective rate will be. Tympanic injection is more effective than post-aural injection. Topical steroid injections are safer for hormonal side effect.
PubMed: 37039340
DOI: 10.1177/01455613231170090 -
Laryngoscope Investigative... Aug 2021Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) or esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is a rare malignancy of the nasal cavity believed to arise from the olfactory epithelium. The goal of this... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) or esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is a rare malignancy of the nasal cavity believed to arise from the olfactory epithelium. The goal of this study was to systematically review the genomics, epigenetics, and cytogenetics of ONB and to understand the potential clinical implications of these studies.
METHODS
A systematic literature review was performed for articles published before May 2020 using Cochrane, Embase, Pubmed, and Scopus databases. Inclusion criteria included genomics, cytogenetics, and epigenetics studies on ONB. Exclusion criteria included studies not in English or systematic reviews. Articles and abstracts were reviewed by two independent reviewers to reduce bias during article selection and synthesis of results. Of the 36 studies included in this review, 24 were research articles and 12 were abstracts.
RESULTS
Although recurrent mutations among ONB tumors are uncommon, alterations in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and genes have been reported in several recent studies. In addition, cytogenetic studies revealed that the landscape of chromosomal aberrations varies widely amongst ONB tumors.
CONCLUSIONS
The rare character of ONB has limited the sample size available for cytogenetic, genomic, and epigenetic studies and contributes to the limitations of this systematic review. Comprehensive genomic and epigenomic studies with larger cohorts are warranted to validate the initial reports summarized in this review and to identify potential therapeutic targets for ONB.
PubMed: 34401496
DOI: 10.1002/lio2.597 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Feb 2018Every day children and adults die from acute community-acquired bacterial meningitis, particularly in low-income countries, and survivors risk deafness, epilepsy and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Every day children and adults die from acute community-acquired bacterial meningitis, particularly in low-income countries, and survivors risk deafness, epilepsy and neurological disabilities. Osmotic therapies may attract extra-vascular fluid and reduce cerebral oedema, and thus reduce death and improve neurological outcomes.This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2013.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the effects of osmotic therapies added to antibiotics for acute bacterial meningitis in children and adults on mortality, deafness and neurological disability.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched CENTRAL (2017, Issue 1), MEDLINE (1950 to 17 February 2017), Embase (1974 to 17 February 2017), CINAHL (1981 to 17 February 2017), LILACS (1982 to 17 February 2017) and registers of ongoing clinical trials (ClinicalTrials.com, WHO ICTRP) (21 February 2017). We also searched conference abstracts and contacted researchers in the field (up to 12 December 2015).
SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised controlled trials testing any osmotic therapy in adults or children with acute bacterial meningitis.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently screened the search results and selected trials for inclusion. Results are presented using risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) and grouped according to whether the participants received steroids or not. We used the GRADE approach to assess the certainty of the evidence.
MAIN RESULTS
We included five trials with 1451 participants. Four trials evaluated glycerol against placebo, and one evaluated glycerol against 50% dextrose; in addition three trials evaluated dexamethasone and one trial evaluated acetaminophen (paracetamol) in a factorial design. Stratified analysis shows no effect modification with steroids; we present aggregate effect estimates.Compared to placebo, glycerol probably has little or no effect on death in people with bacterial meningitis (RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.30; 5 studies, 1272 participants; moderate-certainty evidence), but may reduce neurological disability (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.00; 5 studies, 1270 participants; low-certainty evidence).Glycerol may have little or no effect on seizures during treatment for meningitis (RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.30; 4 studies, 1090 participants; low-certainty evidence).Glycerol may reduce the risk of subsequent deafness (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.93; 5 studies, 922 participants; low to moderate-certainty evidence).Glycerol probably has little or no effect on gastrointestinal bleeding (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.39 to 2.19; 3 studies, 607 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). The evidence on nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea is uncertain (RR 1.09, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.47; 2 studies, 851 participants; very low-certainty evidence).
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Glycerol was the only osmotic therapy evaluated, and data from trials to date have not demonstrated an effect on death. Glycerol may reduce neurological deficiency and deafness.
Topics: Adolescent; Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child; Combined Modality Therapy; Community-Acquired Infections; Deafness; Dexamethasone; Diuretics, Osmotic; Epilepsy; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage; Glucose; Glycerol; Humans; Intracranial Pressure; Meningitis, Bacterial; Nervous System Diseases; Osmosis; Osmotic Pressure; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 29405037
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD008806.pub3 -
PloS One 2022Hearing loss (HL) can affect communication in complex ways. Understanding how adults with HL reflect on and conceptualise the way they listen (metacognition) is required...
BACKGROUND
Hearing loss (HL) can affect communication in complex ways. Understanding how adults with HL reflect on and conceptualise the way they listen (metacognition) is required if interventions, and the outcome measures used to evaluate them, are to address barriers to functional communication arising from HL.
OBJECTIVES
This study describes how adults with HL experience and report the processes, behaviours, and components of listening, as presented in published studies.
DESIGN
Systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.
METHODS
Systematic searches identified English-language, peer-reviewed journal articles reporting the results of qualitative or mixed-methods studies of adults' with HL perceived listening abilities. Medline, PsychInfo, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched from inception to November 2021. Handsearching reference lists of included studies identified additional studies for inclusion. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) qualitative checklist was used to appraise studies' methodological quality. Data from included studies were analysed using thematic meta-synthesis. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of QUALitative (CERQual) approach assessed confidence in the review findings. Two reviewers independently completed all screening and quality appraisal. Thematic meta-synthesis and GRADE CERQual assessment was completed by one reviewer and confirmed by a second reviewer. Discrepancies were resolved through discussion.
RESULTS
Data from 46 studies were included in the review. Thematic meta-synthesis identified six descriptive themes: 1) perceived listening ability; 2) external modifiers; 3) psychosocial impacts of hearing loss; 4) communication partner perspectives; 5) self-efficacy for listening; and 6) cognitive load. GRADE CERQual ratings for descriptive themes ranged from low to moderate confidence. Descriptive themes were related by analytic themes of liminality and reciprocity.
CONCLUSIONS
Adults with HL provide in-depth accounts of components and processes of listening, with studies reporting both cognitive and affective experiences consistent with theoretical models of metacognition. The findings will inform content generation for a hearing-specific patient-reported outcome measure of perceived listening ability in everyday communication.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Qualitative Research; Hearing Loss; Patient Reported Outcome Measures; Deafness; Self Efficacy
PubMed: 36282860
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276265 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Feb 2013This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in The Cochrane Library in Issue 1, 2010.Ménière's disease is characterised by three major symptoms: vertigo,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in The Cochrane Library in Issue 1, 2010.Ménière's disease is characterised by three major symptoms: vertigo, deafness, and tinnitus or aural fullness, all of which are discontinuous and variable in intensity. A number of surgical modalities, of varying levels of invasiveness, have been developed to reduce the symptoms of Ménière's disease, but it is not clear whether or not these are effective.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effectiveness of surgical options for the treatment of Ménière's disease. All surgical interventions used in the treatment of Ménière's disease, either to alter the natural history of the disease or to abolish vestibular function, were considered for this review.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders Group Trials Register; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); PubMed; EMBASE; CINAHL; Web of Science; BIOSIS Previews; Cambridge Scientific Abstracts; ICTRP and additional sources for published and unpublished trials. The date of the most recent search was 7 November 2012.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised or quasi-randomised controlled studies of a surgical modality versus a placebo therapy in Ménière's disease.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. We contacted study authors for further information.
MAIN RESULTS
The only surgical intervention which has been evaluated in randomised controlled trials and met the inclusion criteria was endolymphatic sac surgery. We identified two randomised trials, involving a total of 59 patients; one comparing endolymphatic sac surgery with ventilation tubes and one with simple mastoidectomy. Neither study reported any beneficial effect of surgery either in comparison to placebo surgery or grommet insertion.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
The two trials included in this review provide insufficient evidence of the beneficial effect of endolymphatic sac surgery in Ménière's disease.
Topics: Endolymphatic Sac; Humans; Mastoid; Meniere Disease; Middle Ear Ventilation; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 23450562
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005395.pub3 -
Laryngoscope Investigative... Apr 2022Establish anatomical considerations, audiological outcomes, and optimal management in patients with branchiootic/branchiootorenal syndrome (BO/BOR). (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Establish anatomical considerations, audiological outcomes, and optimal management in patients with branchiootic/branchiootorenal syndrome (BO/BOR).
METHODS
Databases reviewed: Medline, Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Collection, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Clinical or radiological studies of patients with BOR syndrome describing either the audiological profile or anatomical changes were included. Articles in which BOR syndrome was associated with other syndromes, and those that were focused only on general and genetic aspects of BOR syndrome were excluded. Articles were assessed using Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (OCEBM) grading system and the Brazzelli risk of bias tool for nonrandomized studies.
RESULTS
Searches identified 379 articles. Of these, 64 studies met the inclusion criteria, reporting outcomes in 482 patients from at least 95 families. In 308 patients, hearing loss was categorized as sensorineural (29%), conductive (20%), and mixed (51%). Hearing outcomes were variable in terms of onset, pattern, and severity; ranging from mild to profound deafness. One hundred sixty-nine patients presented with inner ear anomalies, 145 had middle, and 151 had external ear abnormalities. In 44 studies, 58 ear operations were described. Mixed outcomes were reported in patients managed with hearing aids or middle ear surgery; however, successful cochlear implantation was described in all five cases.
CONCLUSION
The anatomical and audiological profiles of patients with BO/BOR are variable. A range of surgical procedures were described, however lacked objective outcome measures. Given the range of anatomical variants, management decisions should be made on an individual basis including full audiological and radiological assessment.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
NA.
PubMed: 35434312
DOI: 10.1002/lio2.749 -
Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology 2022To present scientific evidence, based on a systematic review of the literature, on the benefit of brainstem implants in auditory rehabilitation and language development... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To present scientific evidence, based on a systematic review of the literature, on the benefit of brainstem implants in auditory rehabilitation and language development in children.
METHODS
A systematic search was used to identify studies that contain information about the benefit of brainstem implants in the auditory rehabilitation and language development of children. The review was conducted based on a structured literature search, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) checklist. The search was carried out in the PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases, using the combination "Auditory brainstem implants" AND "Pediatric", without restriction of language, period, and location. The quality assessment of the articles was performed using the Study Quality Assessment Tools.
RESULTS
Regarding hearing, children with brainstem implants showed sound detection, access to most speech sounds, basic auditory perception skills, recognition of ambient sounds, recognition of some frequently used words and phrases, in addition to some closed-set word discrimination capability. Expressive and comprehensive language were identified in children using auditory brainstem implants, increasing significantly in the short and long terms in most cases; however, in some of the children, such skills remained stable.
CONCLUSION
The auditory brainstem implant can be considered an effective alternative for children with cochlear malformation and/or auditory nerve deficiency and for those who cannot benefit from cochlear implant surgery.
Topics: Child; Humans; Deafness; Auditory Brain Stem Implants; Cochlear Implantation; Language Development; Cochlear Implants; Hearing; Brain Stem; Speech Perception
PubMed: 36088255
DOI: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2022.07.004 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023Children and adolescents with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) often experience motor skill disturbances, particularly in balance and gait, due to potential vestibular... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Children and adolescents with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) often experience motor skill disturbances, particularly in balance and gait, due to potential vestibular dysfunctions resulting from inner ear damage. Consequently, several studies have proposed the use of virtual reality-based games as a technological resource for therapeutic purposes, aiming to improve the balance and gait of this population.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the quality of evidence derived from randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials that employed virtual reality-based games to enhance the balance and/or gait of children and adolescents with SNHL.
METHODS
A comprehensive search was conducted across nine databases, encompassing articles published in any language until 1 July 2023. The following inclusion criteria were applied: randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials involving volunteers from both groups with a clinical diagnosis of bilateral SNHL, aged 6-19 years, devoid of physical, cognitive, or neurological deficits other than vestibular dysfunction, and utilizing virtual reality-based games as an intervention to improve balance and/or gait outcomes.
RESULTS
Initially, a total of 5984 articles were identified through the searches. Following the removal of duplicates and screening of titles and abstracts, eight studies remained for full reading, out of which three trials met the eligibility criteria for this systematic review. The included trials exhibited a very low quality of evidence concerning the balance outcome, and none of the trials evaluated gait. The meta-analysis did not reveal significant differences in balance improvement between the use of traditional balance exercises and virtual reality-based games for adolescents with SNHL (effect size: -0.48; [CI: -1.54 to 0.57]; = 0.37; I = 0%).
CONCLUSION
Virtual reality-based games show promise as a potential technology to be included among the therapeutic options for rehabilitating the balance of children and adolescents with SNHL. However, given the methodological limitations of the trials and the overall low quality of evidence currently available on this topic, caution should be exercised when interpreting the results of the trials analyzed in this systematic review.
Topics: Humans; Child; Adolescent; Postural Balance; Exercise Therapy; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural; Gait; Virtual Reality
PubMed: 37514897
DOI: 10.3390/s23146601