AUDIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF PATIENTS WITH DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY

Ibrahim Hassan Abdelhamid*

ABSTRACT

A decrease in the blood supply to the cochlea as a result of cardiovascular disease may result in cochlear degeneration and will disrupt the physical and chemical processes in the cochlea. This, in turn, may lead to hearing impairment. So this study was designed to evaluate auditory disorders in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and to correlate the degree and configuration of hearing loss with the degree and duration of dilated cardiomyopathy. This study was carried out on 20 subjects 10 control subjects and 10 with dilated cardiomyopathy. Full history, clinical examination and audiological evaluation including basic tests and DPOAE and neuro otological ABR was done. Eighty percent of 10 patients with DCM had bilateral SNHL ranged from mild to moderately severe; affecting all frequencies to the greatest degree at high frequencies and 20% (2 patients) had bilateral normal hearing sensitivity. DPOAE were present in all cases of control group and 2 cases with normal hearing from the study group, the remaining cases of study group partially pass indicating impaired cochlear function in study group. Results of (ABR) measurement showed that normal absolute and inter peak latencies in control and study groups. The duration of the disease, have no effect on degree of hearing loss, absolute and inter peak latencies of ABR.

Keywords: Cardiomyopathy, hearing loss dilated cardiomyopathy.