Hearing Threshold Assessment of HIV Patients

Abstract Introduction: Otological manifestations of HIV/AIDS are less common than other head-and-neck manifestations. This study aims to determine hearing threshold patterns of HIV-infected adults and to establish any relationship between viral load, CD4 count, clinical stage of the disease, and severity of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on HIV/AIDS patients at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto. Control group was matched for age and sex among non-HIV patients attending general outpatient clinic of the same hospital. The patient’s clinical information was obtained using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and hearing assessment was done on both ears using a diagnostic pure-tone audiometry machine. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results: A total of 165 subjects formed the study group comprising 109 females (66.1%), 56 males (33.9%) and 165 controls, 109 females (66.1%), 56 males (33.9%). The male-to-female ratio (Male: Female) for both the study and control groups was 1:1.95. Hearing loss (HL) occurred in 32 (19.4%) out of 165 in the study group and 3 (1.8%) out of 165 in the control. Stage of HIV/AIDS, low CD4 count, and high viral load did not influence the severity of SNHL. Conclusion: HL is a common finding in HIV patients when compared with non-HIV patients. Once HL is proven, proper, regular monitoring to find if the HL is stable, fluctuates, or is progressive.