Factors Impacting the Use or Rejection of Hearing Aids-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: To examine the prevalence of adherence to hearing aids and determine their rejection causes. METHODS: This study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting terms for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We performed an electronic search using PubMed, BVS, and Embase. RESULTS: 21 studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected. They analyzed a total of 12,696 individuals. We observed that the most common causes for positive adherence to hearing aid use included having a higher degree of hearing loss, patients being aware of their condition, and requiring the device in their daily life. The most common causes for rejection were the lack of perceived benefits or discomfort with the use of the device. The results from the meta-analysis show a prevalence of patients who used their hearing aid of 0.623 (95% CI 0.531, 0.714). Both groups are highly heterogeneous (I2 = 99.31% in each group, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of patients (38%) do not use their hearing aid devices. Homogeneous multicenter studies using the same methodology are needed to analyze the causes of rejection of hearing aids.

Early Diagnosis of Central Disorders Mimicking Horizontal Canal Cupulolithiasis.

BACKGROUND: Horizontal Canal Cupulolithiasis (hc-BPPV-cu) can mimic a pathology of central origin, so a careful examination is essential to prevent misdiagnosis. METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional cohort study of 45 patients suffering from suspected hc-BPPV-cu. We recorded whether patients first presented through an ENT Emergency Department (ED) or through an Outpatient Otolaryngology Clinic (OC). RESULTS: We found statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between the OC versus the ED in relation to the time between symptom onset and first assessment (79.7 vs. 3.6 days, respectively), the number of therapeutic maneuvers (one maneuver in 62.5% vs. 75.9%, and more than one in 25.1% vs. 13.7%), and multi-canal BPPV rate (43.8% vs. 3.4%). hc-BPPV-cu did not resolve in 2 patients (12.5%) from the OC and in 3 (10.3%) from de ED, all of which showed central pathology. DISCUSSION: There are no prior studies that analyze the approach to hc-BPPV-cu in the ED. The benefits of early specialist input are early identification of central positional nystagmus, a decrease in symptom duration, reduced number of therapeutic maneuvers required for symptom resolution, and lower rates of iatrogenic multi-canal BPPV. CONCLUSION: A comprehensive approach to hc-BPPV-cu in the ED allows both more effective treatment and early identification of central disorder mimics.

Vértigo posicional paroxístico benigno y enfermedad de Menière: análisis retrospectivo / Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and Menière's disease: retrospective analysis

Introducción y objetivo: El Vértigo Posicional Paroxístico Benigno (VPPB) es más frecuente dentro del subgrupo de pacientes con Enfermedad de Menière (EM). El presente estudio tiene como objetivo describir las características clínicas tanto del VPPB como de la EM cuando se encuentran asociados. Método: Realizamos un análisis retrospectivo de 22 pacientes con EM diagnosticados de VPPB entre el 1999 y el 2021 en el Complejo Asistencial Universitario de Salamanca. Se recogieron variables clínicas, tanto de las características del VPPB como de la EM. Resultados: En nuestra base de datos, el 66,66 % de los 22 pacientes eran mujeres con una edad media de 59,33 años. El canal semicircular afecto con más frecuencia fue el posterior derecho. En cuanto al VPPB, un 19% se trata de VPPB multicanal, en casi la mitad (47,62%) se tuvieron que realizar más de tres maniobras para solucionarlo y tardó más de un mes en resolverse en más de la mitad (57,14%). Por otro lado, la EM era bilateral en el 19% de los pacientes, con un tiempo de evolución desde el diagnóstico de más de tres años en el 71,42%. Un tercio de los pacientes había presentado más de 10 crisis en los últimos seis meses, y fluctuación en la audición. En base a estos resultados, parece que los pacientes con EM avanzada tienen más probabilidades de presentar VPPB y con peor resultado en su tratamiento. Conclusión: La aparición conjunta del VPPB y la EM podría afectar al pronóstico de ambas patologías por separado. (AU)

Introuction and objective: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is more frequent within the subgroup of patients with Menière's Disease (MD). The present study aims to describe the clinical characteristics of both BPPV and MD, when they are associated. Method: We carried out a retrospective analysis of 22 patients with MD diagnosed with BPPV between 1999 and 2021 at the University Assistance Complex of Salamanca. Clinical variables were collected, both from the characteristics of BPPV and MD. Results: In our database, 66.66% of the 22 patients were women with a mean age of 59.33 years. The most frequently affected semicircular canal was the posterior right. Regarding BPPV, 19% are multichannel BPPV, in almost half (47.62%) more than three maneuvers had to be performed to solve it and it took more than a month to resolve it in more than half (57.14%). On the other hand, MD was bilateral in 19% of patients, with a time since diagnosis of more than three years in 71.42%. A third of the patients had presented more than 10 crises in the last six months, and fluctuation in hearing. Based on these results, it appears that patients with advanced MD are more likely to have BPPV and have a worse treatment outcome. Conclusion: The joint appearance of BPPV and MD could affect the prognosis of both pathologies separately. (AU)

Hearing loss in vestibular schwannoma

Introducción y objetivo: La hipoacusia es uno de los síntomas más frecuentes en el debut de un schwannoma vestibular (SV). El objetivo de este estudio es analizar la pérdida auditiva en pacientes con SV y determinar en qué medida se relaciona con el tamaño tumoral. Método: Se lleva a cabo un estudio retrospectivo observacional en 291 pacientes diagnosticados de SV entre 1995 y 2017 en el servicio de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía Cervicofacial del Hospital Clínico Universitario de Salamanca analizándose diferentes datos pre y postoperatorios de los pacientes así como hallazgos radiológicos y quirúrgicos.Resultados: El síntoma más frecuente de consulta es la hipoacusia unilateral progresiva (31.6%). La asociación entre el tamaño del SV y la hipoacusia no es estadísticamente significativa (p=0.099).Conclusiones: La pérdida auditiva producida por un SV no es patrimonio de ningún estadio, aunque las pérdidas severas y profundas son más indicativas de neurinomas grados III-IV, y ante una pérdida auditiva leve o audición normal tendremos con más probabilidad un neurinoma grado I-II. (AU)

The most common reason for consultation in patients suffering from Vestibular Schwannoma (VS) is progressive hearing loss. The main objective of this study is analyzing the hearing loss in patients with VS and determining the extent to which the tumor grade and the hearing loss are related. Methods: An observational retrospective study was conducted with a sample of 291 patients diag-nosed with VS between 1995 and 2017 in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery of the Tertiary Care Primary Center of Salamanca. We analyzed preoperative and postoperative data from patients with VS as well as radiological and surgical findings. Results: The most common reason for consultation at diagnosis was progressive unilateral hearing loss (31.6%). The relationship between the size of the VS and hearing loss in the patients who reported progressive unilateral hearing loss as a reason for consultation was not statistically significant (p=0.099). Conclusion: The most common reason for consultation in VS is progressive unilateral hearing loss. The hearing loss caused by VS does not have a statistically significant association with any tumor grade, although severe and profound hearing loss is more commonly associated with grade III-IV neurinomas, whereas mild hearing loss or normal hearing are more likely in grade I-II tumors. (AU)