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Objective: Comorbidities accompanying to cardiac disorders might be as detrimental as the diseases themselves. While it is not common, comorbidities associated with inner ear functions may also be seen. This study was planned to investigate evaluation of hearing which also includes high frequencies, and the presence of vestibular and tinnitus symptoms in children with acute rheumatic fever (ARF), Kawasaki disease (KD) or who underwent open heart surgery (due to atrial septal defect and/or ventricular septal defect, Tetralogy of Fallot).
Methods: This study included a patient group including 214 children patients diagnosed with cardiac disorders (116 males, 98 females; mean age 9.70 [range 6-16]) and a control group including 44 healthy children who do not have any kind of chronic disease (21 males, 23 females; mean age 9.38 [range 6-16]). The subjects underwent hearing test with frequencies between 250-20000 Hz, vestibular and tinnitus symptoms were evaluated by Symptom Questionnaire Forms.
Results: Out of 214 patients in the patient group, 6 (2.8%) had hearing loss in pure tones, 25 (11.7%) had in high frequencies, 35 (16.4%) had tinnitus symptoms, and 21 (9.8%) had vertigo symptoms. Hearing loss in high frequencies was detected in 11.7% of patients with ARF, in 22.7% of patients with KD, and in 7.8% of patients who underwent open heart surgery. The difference between KD patients and the control group in terms of hearing loss was statistically significant (p=0.014). Out of 214 patients in the patient group, 4 (1.9%) had hearing loss in pure tones and high frequencies, vertigo and tinnitus symptoms.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that some childhood cardiac disorders can cause some changes in the inner ear, although the exact cause is unknown. Perhaps, a detailed hearing and balance examination should be a routine in a child diagnosed with a cardiac disorders. We think it is necessary to work on more comprehensive patient groups and tests in the future.