Hearing loss has been described in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients
since long time and there are conflicting reports about the effects of
hemodialysis on hearing. Incidence of hearing loss on hemodialysis was
ranging between 10 and 77%. Effect of long-term hemodialysis on hearing
loss was not property studied. This study was planned to determine
the prevalence of hearing loss in hemodialysis patients and to investigate
the effect of long dialysis duration on hewing loss.
Sixty regular hemodialysis patients has been studied by pure tone audiometry,
stapedial reflex. tympartometry and speech audiometry. They
were classified into three groups : group I < one year on hemodialysis.
group II 1-7 years, group III>7 years. Each group included 20 patients.
Some parameters has been con-elated to hearing loss (urea. creatinirte.
hematocilt and parathyroid hormone).
Heating loss has been recorded in 75 % of patients. The percentage of
hearing loss was similar in the different groups (70% in group I. 75% in
group II. 80% in group III). Hearing loss was cochlear sensorineural .
Hearing loss was more prevalent in the high and low frequencies and relatively
sparing middle frequency. Hearing loss was of mild to moderate
degree with no significant difference between the three groups (L 31.7 +
12.3; II, 33.6 + 8.4; Ill, 36.3 + 7.9 dB) There were no correlation between
hearing loss and any of the parameters tested.
In conclusion, hearing loss is present in high percentage in chronic renal
failure patients and hemodialysis per se has no effect on hearing loss
even in extended dialyis duration. Hearing loss is mainly in high and low |
