Evaluation Of Hearing In People With Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Background: The obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a disabling condition characterized by excessive day time sleepiness, disruptive snoring, recurrent episodes of apnea or hypopnea, and nocturnal hypoxemia.

Objective: The purpose is to evaluate hearing performance in people with (OSAS) and to determine whether there is a relationship between apnea- hypopnea index (AHI) and hearing performance.

Methods: A total of 10 patients with OSAS whose age average is 55.7 and 10 healthy individuals with no prior hearing problems whose age average is 54.3 participated in the study. It was firstly aimed at determining the AHI level of patients with OSAS and people with serious OSAS were included in the study (AHI>30). All participants’ pure tone hearing thresholds between 125 Hz- 16.000 Hz and pure tone averages (PTA) were determined in acoustic cabins. Both groups were evaluated in terms of hearing loss and their pure tone hearing thresholds were compared. It was analyzed whether there is a correlation between AHI and hearing loss.

Results: In all frequencies, the pure tone hearing thresholds and PTA were found to be higher in the OSAS group compared to the control group. The hearing thresholds in all the other frequencies, a significant difference was found between the OSAS and the control groups’ hearing thresholds and right and left PTA values (p<0.05). A correlation was not found between the AHI and pure tone hearing thresholds and PTA.

Conclusion: The pure tone hearing thresholds and PTA of patients with OSAS are higher compared to the control group. OSAS might be a risk factor in terms of hearing loss. Increase in the rate of PTA does not increase the risk of hearing loss.