Prevalence and Nature of Hearing Loss in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome.
JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2016;
59:583-589. [PMID:
27249537 DOI:
10.1044/2015_jslhr-h-15-0098]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2015] [Accepted: 11/18/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to clarify the prevalence, type, severity, and age-dependency of hearing loss in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.
METHOD
Extensive audiological measurements were conducted in 40 persons with proven 22q11.2 deletion (aged 6-36 years). Besides air and bone conduction thresholds in the frequency range between 0.125 and 8.000 kHz, high-frequency thresholds up to 16.000 kHz were determined and tympanometry, acoustic reflex (AR) measurement, and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) testing were performed.
RESULTS
Hearing loss was identified in 59% of the tested ears and was mainly conductive in nature. In addition, a high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss with down-sloping curve was found in the majority of patients. Aberrant tympanometric results were recorded in 39% of the ears. In 85% of ears with a Type A or C tympanometric peak, ARs were absent. A DPOAE response in at least 6 frequencies was present in only 23% of the ears with a hearing threshold ≤30 dB HL. In patients above 14 years of age, there was a significantly lower percentage of measurable DPOAEs.
CONCLUSION
Hearing loss in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is highly prevalent and both conductive and high-frequency sensorineural in nature. The age-dependent absence of DPOAEs in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome suggests cochlear damage underlying the high-frequency hearing loss.
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