Public awareness of ear and hearing management as measured using a specific questionnaire.

Public awareness of audiological issues has never been measured in the general public even if the World Health Organization (WHO) has detected a common urgent need for action to prevent and manage ear diseases and hearing loss. The aim of this study was to measure urban community citizens' awareness of managing and preventing ear disease and hearing loss using a specific questionnaire. A questionnaire was formulated on the basis of WHO material concerning the major specific audiological issues and attitudes, focusing in particular on four domains: (1) knowledge of infant hearing loss, (2) correct management of the ears including cleaning and treating, (3) focus on the effect of overexposure to loud sounds and noise, (4) underestimated ear symptoms leading to diagnostic delay. 254 volunteers were enrolled in this cross-sectional study by a team of medical doctors and audiologists stationed in a mobile unit that visited different areas of Milan, Italy. More than 80% of correct responses were given to almost all of the statements by the interviewees, although certain important knowledge was found to be lacking. The proposed audiological questionnaire seems to be a suitable tool to evaluate the public awareness of ear and hearing management. The results showed a need for continued development of comprehensive hearing conservation programs, focused on hearing aid management and early infant hearing loss identification as well as noise exposure.

GJB2 and MTRNR1 contributions in children with hearing impairment from Northern Cameroon.

OBJECTIVE: the aim of this work was to evaluate the possible different impacts of genetic and environmental factors in childhood deafness in northern Cameroon. GJB2 mutations are responsible for more than half of all cases of prelingual nonsyndromic recessive deafness in Caucasians, representing the most important deafness-causing factor in the industrialized world. Other genes such as MTRNR1 are also involved. In sub-Saharan Africa, environmental factors seem to dominate genetic contributions, but few studies on the etiology of deafness in Africa are available for comparison. DESIGN: prospective cross sectional study. STUDY SAMPLE: we performed a molecular screen of the GJB2 and MTRNR1 genes in 70 deaf children and 67 unaffected controls in Maroua (Cameroon) and a literature analysis focused on deafness epidemiology in developing countries. RESULTS: no GJB2 mutations emerged, and only a single MTRNR1 variant that may be pathogenic was found. CONCLUSION: environmental factors turn out to be more relevant than genetic factor in the Maroua population.

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss in children with dual positivity of serum anti-EBV IgM and anti-CMV IgM antibodies: a preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is rare in children, and its etiology remains largely unknown, although viral infections seem to play an important role. The aim of this study is to report 5 children who experienced permanent SSNHL and had dual positivity of serum anti-Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) IgM and anti-Cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgM antibodies. METHODS: The study was conducted in a third-level referral audiological center. The medical charts of children under age 14 who experienced SSNHL without hearing recovery between September 1, 2017 and August 31, 2020, were reviewed. These children had undergone diagnostic evaluations, including brain magnetic resonance imaging, serological testing, thrombophilia and autoimmunity screening, to find possible causes of SSNHL. RESULTS: In all 5 patients identified, anti-EBV IgM, anti-CMV IgM and anti-CMV IgG antibodies were detected by chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) immediately after the diagnosis of SSNHL, which occurred from 2 to 4 weeks after the onset of symptoms attributable to primary EBV infection. No abnormalities were demonstrated by coagulation and immunologic tests. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed normal findings. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that primary EBV infection should be considered one of the most likely causes of SSNHL without any hearing recovery in children. Therefore, a routine audiological examination should be recommended for children with virologically confirmed primary EBV infection at approximately 3-4 weeks after onset of symptoms and then repeated with periodic follow-up. Further studies on a wider number of children affected by SSNHL might clarify the possible pathogenetic role of this dual serological positivity.

Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale (VTDS) and Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) in the Early Identification of Italian Teachers with Voice Disorders.

Introduction The current Italian law does not include any guidance regarding voice education, prevention of voice disorders and screening in subjects with high vocal loading such as teachers. Objectives We aimed to check the correlation between the Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale (VTDS) with the Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) for the evaluation of Italian teachers. In addition, we aimed to investigate whether there are differences in the frequency and intensity of discomfort symptoms in teachers with disabilities comparing vocal tract discomfort symptoms in teachers with high risk (HRVD) and low risk (LRVD) of vocal disorders according to the VoiSS cutoff (> 15.5). Methods We analyzed 160 Italian teachers (111 women and 49 men) that completed the VTDS and VoiSS at vocal evaluation. The Spearman correlation test was applied to all variables. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the average number of discomfort symptoms among HRVD and LRVD teachers. Results A moderate positive correlation was observed between the average number, frequency, and intensity of discomfort symptom and the total score, physical domain score, and limitation domain score of the VoiSS. Only the emotional domain score of the VoiSS showed a weak positive correlation ( p < 0.001). Teachers considered in the HRVD group according to the VoiSS score had a higher number, frequency, and intensity of vocal tract discomfort symptoms. Conclusion There is correlation between the VTDS and VoiSS scales. Like the VoiSS, the VTDS is a questionnaire that detects HRVD teachers. Therefore, the results suggest that both questionnaires could be useful for a preventive voice program for Italian teachers.

Application of Ambulatory Phonation Monitoring (APM) in the measurement of daily speaking-time and voice intensity before and after cochlear implant in deaf adult patients.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the changes in daily voice production, analysed through the Ambulatory Phonation Monitoring (APM), and their relationship with Quality of Life (QOL) measurements in a group of profound deaf patients treated with Cochlear Implant (CI). METHODS: A total of 12 consecutive post-lingual deaf patients (8 females and 4 males) treated with CI for bilateral severe-to-profound hearing loss were enrolled. Each patient was evaluated before and after 6 months of CI use. In particular, the daily voice production evaluation was performed using the APM, while QOL information were gathered from the Italian version of the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (I-NCIQ). RESULTS: Significant differences in the APM results obtained before and after CI were found. In particular, a significant decrease of the mean amplitude and a significant increase of the daily phonation time and percentage of phonation time were demonstrated after CI use in all the patients. A significant improvement in the I-NCIQ scores was demonstrated after CI use and significant correlations among I-NCIQ scores and the APM parameters were found. CONCLUSIONS: The APM could be useful in the evaluation of the benefits of cochlear implantation and may represents an indicator of deaf patient participation. In addition, the daily voice production's modifications after CI and their significant relations with the changes in QOL measurements could be useful in treatment planning as well as during pre- and post-operative counselling.

Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale (VTDS) and Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) in the Early Identification of Italian Teachers with Voice Disorders

Abstract Introduction The current Italian law does not include any guidance regarding voice education, prevention of voice disorders and screening in subjects with high vocal loading such as teachers. Objectives We aimed to check the correlation between the Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale (VTDS) with the Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) for the evaluation of Italian teachers. In addition, we aimed to investigate whether there are differences in the frequency and intensity of discomfort symptoms in teachers with disabilities comparing vocal tract discomfort symptoms in teachers with high risk (HRVD) and low risk (LRVD) of vocal disorders according to the VoiSS cutoff (> 15.5). Methods We analyzed 160 Italian teachers (111 women and 49 men) that completed the VTDS and VoiSS at vocal evaluation. The Spearman correlation test was applied to all variables. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the average number of discomfort symptoms among HRVD and LRVD teachers. Results A moderate positive correlation was observed between the average number, frequency, and intensity of discomfort symptom and the total score, physical domain score, and limitation domain score of the VoiSS. Only the emotional domain score of the VoiSS showed a weak positive correlation (p< 0.001). Teachers considered in the HRVD group according to the VoiSS score had a higher number, frequency, and intensity of vocal tract discomfort symptoms. Conclusion There is correlation between the VTDS and VoiSS scales. Like the VoiSS, the VTDS is a questionnaire that detects HRVD teachers. Therefore, the results suggest that both questionnaires could be useful for a preventive voice program for Italian teachers

Auditory late potentials in normal-hearing adult subjects with Down's syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Several studies have demonstrated that adult subjects with Down's syndrome (DS) and hearing impairments show significantly delayed latencies in auditory late potentials (ALPs). The aim of this study was to investigate whether the differences were still present in ALPs in an adult DS population with normal hearing, taking into consideration sex, handedness, and head size. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Audiology unit of the hospital Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. PATIENTS: Sixteen normal-hearing adult DS subjects referred to the health monitoring program for DS patients of Vivi Down Onlus Association in Milan, Italy (7 male subjects with a mean age of 26 ± 7.74 yr and 9 female subjects with a mean age of 28 ± 8.63 yr) and 16 controls (7 male subjects with a mean age of 26 ± 7.74 yr and 9 female subjects with a mean age of 28 ± 8.86 yr) matched for sex, age, and handedness. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The 2 negative peaks, N1 and N2, and the 2 positive peaks, P1 and P2, of ALP. RESULTS: ALP N1 and P2 components were well defined in all subjects. The P1 and N2 components were less evident than the others. There were significant delayed latencies in the DS group with respect to the control subjects for P1, N1, P2, and N2 components. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that ALP longer latencies are present in adult DS participants even when they have a normal hearing threshold, regardless of handedness and head size.