Comparison of Sensorineural Hearing Loss in all Age Groups in the Year 2020 (COVID-19), 2021 and 2022: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: Hearing loss can be categorized into two types: Conductive and sensorineural. Sensorineural hearing loss, which becomes more prevalent with age, is the most common type and accounts for the majority of all hearing loss cases. This study aims to compare the prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss across all age groups in the years 2020 (during COVID-19), 2021, and 2022.
Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at R. D. Gardi Medical College in Ujjain (M.P.). A total of 901 patients with audiologically confirmed sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) were included and evaluated in this study.
Results: The patients’ ages ranged from 1 to 90 years, with a mean age of 54.13 years. The highest number of patients (30.52%) were in the 61 to 70 age group.
In our study, we exclusively examined and reported 901 cases of sensorineural hearing loss, out of which total patients in 2020, 2021, and 2022 were 118 (13.09%), 336 (37.29%), and 447 (49.61%), respectively. A total of 78 (8.65%) cases were unilateral and 823 (91.34%) cases were bilateral. Male:Female ratios in 2020, 2021, and 2022 were 3.53:1, 1.60:1, and 2.31:1, respectively.
Possible reasons for the reduction of sensorineural hearing loss during COVID-19 lockdown -
1. Nearly all the services, factories, social gatherings and events were suspended during this phase.
2. During the lockdown, there was a notable decrease in noise levels. Before the COVID-19 lockdown, average noise levels varied between 44.85 and 79.57 dB across different areas. However, during the lockdown, these levels dropped to between 38.55 and 57.79 dB.
3. During the lockdown period, road traffic noise was notably reduced compared to the noise levels observed before and after the lockdown.
4. In 2020, the outpatient department (OPD) was open only for emergency cases in March, April, and May, resulting in no diagnoses of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) during these three months. Additionally, even after the OPD resumed normal operations, the number of patients seeking treatment was notably lower compared to 2021 and 2022.
Conclusion: Most patients with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in this study were male, with an average age of 54.13 years. In 2020 (COVID-19), a total of 118 patients were affected with SNHL as compared to 336 and 447 patients in the years 2021 & 2022, respectively. Affected patients with SNHL in 2020 are less as compared to 2021 & 2022, as per the study.