Hearing Loss and Risk Factors in Very Low Birth Weight Infants.

The incidence of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is still high in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. The purpose of our study was to provide the prevalence rates of SNHL and to analyze the risk factors of hearing impairment and changes in hearing thresholds in a cohort of VLBW infants. A retrospective observational study was conducted in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) from 2012 to 2016.

Hearing Impairment and Neuroimaging Results in Mitochondrial Diseases.

Mitochondrial diseases (MDs) are heterogeneous genetic disorders characterized by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) defects, involving tissues highly dependent on oxidative metabolism: the inner ear, brain, eye, skeletal muscle, and heart. We describe adult patients with genetically defined MDs, characterizing hearing function and neuroimaging results. We enrolled 34 patients (mean age: 50.

Acute and post-acute multidisciplinary outcomes of newborns born from mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy or the perinatal period.

Introduction: We performed a single-center, prospective, observational study of newborns born from mothers with microbiologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy or at time of delivery to evaluate acute and mid-term multidisciplinary outcomes.

Methods: Infants were offered a multidisciplinary follow-up consisting of nasopharyngeal Polymerase Chain Reaction test at birth and at 48-72 h of life, auxological and ophthalmological assessments, and serologic testing.

Results: 791 women and their 791 children (52.

Clinical Evolution of Acute Vestibular Syndrome: Longitudinal Retrospective Analysis of Epidemiological Data and Prognostic Factors for Recovery.

We evaluated the clinical features of patients admitted to the ED with acute vertigo, verifying symptoms after one month and one year to establish epidemiological factors and predictors of resolution. We reviewed 233 records of patients admitted to ED for acute vertigo (125 F and 85 M, mean age 56.12 years).

Posturographic Analysis in Patients Affected by Central and Peripheral Visual Impairment.

Although vision loss is known to affect equilibrium maintenance, postural control in patients affected by low vision has been poorly investigated. We evaluated postural stability and the ability to use visual, proprioceptive and vestibular information in different low vision patterns. Ten adults with normal vision (NC), fourteen adults affected by central visual impairment (CLV) and eight adults affected by peripheral visual impairment (PLV) were enrolled in our study.

Spyramicine and Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole Combination to Prevent Mother-To-Fetus Transmission of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pregnant Women: A 28-Years Single-center Experience.

Background: There is weak evidence on the best treatment of pregnant women with Toxoplasma gondii infection to prevent the vertical transmission to the fetus.

Methods: We conducted a 28-year retrospective study aiming to compare the efficacy of three therapeutic regimens [Spiramicyn alone (Spy) vs. Pyrimethamine-Sulfadiazine (P/S) vs.

Short- and mid-term multidisciplinary outcomes of newborns exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in utero or during the perinatal period: preliminary findings.

Unlabelled: The long-term outcomes of newborns exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection in utero or during the first hours of life are still unknown. We performed a single-center, prospective, observational study of newborns born from mothers with microbiologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy or at time of delivery. Infants were offered a multidisciplinary follow-up consisting of nasopharyngeal Polymerase Chain Reaction test at birth and at 48-72 h of life, auxological growth and neurological development, serologic testing, and audiological and ophthalmological assessments.

Does the involvement of first-year residents have a negative impact on the performance of a newborn hearing screening program?

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the efficiency of our hearing screening program, prior to hospital discharge, together with the consistency of our teamwork including first year residents by assessing a learning curve for the operators involved.

Methods: We evaluated all the data collected during the first stage of the screening program of all non-NICU neonates from March 2009 to July 2013, analyzing by means of a linear regression model, the monthly referral rate for the whole period of activity of each group of residents.

Results: performances of each group of screeners were statistically different (chi square test p < 0.

Long-Term Clinical, Audiological, Visual, Neurocognitive and Behavioral Outcome in Children With Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection Treated With Valganciclovir.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common cause of congenital infection in humans. There are no enough data on long-term outcome of newborns with congenital CMV (cCMV) infection, particularly for those asymptomatic at birth. For this reason, we performed this study to evaluate long-term audiological, visual, neurocognitive, and behavioral outcome in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic cCMV infection treated with oral Valganciclovir (VGC).

Embryopathy Following Maternal Biliopancreatic Diversion: Is Bariatric Surgery Really Safe?

Pregnancy after bariatric surgery is usually considered safe. Recently, a few studies reported that bariatric surgery represents a risk factor for birth defects. A case series of six patients, born from women who had undergone biliopancreatic diversion, is reported.

Prospective Evaluation of Cognitive Functions After Rehabilitation With Cochlear Implant or Hearing Aids: Preliminary Results of a Multicentric Study on Elderly Patients.

Objective Recent literature has shown a growing interest in the relationship between presbycusis and cognitive decline, but significant evidence about the long-term benefit of rehabilitation on cognitive functions has not been reported yet. The aim of the study was to analyze audiological and neuropsychological performances in patients with cochlear implant (CI) or hearing aids (HAs) over time. Materials and Method Forty-four bilaterally deaf patients aged more than 60 years (25 with CI candidacy and 19 with HA candidacy) were enrolled.

Does Hearing Loss in the Elderly Individuals Conform to Impairment of Specific Cognitive Domains?

Background: It is well known that age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is strongly associated with dementia. Different hypotheses have been considered to explain this link, including sensorial deprivation, the reduction in cognitive reserve, and the presence of shared pathological pathways (microvascular damage of the brain).

Aims: We carried out a study of the audiological and neuropsychological characteristics of a sample of hearing impaired but cognitively healthy individuals (HIH).

Universal newborn hearing screening in the Lazio region, Italy.

Background: The introduction of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) programs has drastically contributed to the early diagnosis of hearing loss in children, allowing prompt intervention with significant results on speech and language development in affected children. UNHS in the Lazio region has been initially deliberated in 2012; however, the program has been performed on a universal basis only from 2015. The aim of this retrospective study is to present and discuss the preliminary results of the UNHS program in the Lazio region for the year 2016, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the program.

Audiologic Assessment in Adults With Down Syndrome.

Increased life expectancy in persons with Down syndrome (DS) is associated with premature age-related changes. The aim of this study was to assess auditory function in adults with DS and to evaluate the prevalence of hearing loss in this population. Audiometric tests were performed in 72 adults with DS (mean age 37.

Relationship between Subjective Tinnitus Perception and Psychiatric Discomfort.

Introduction: Tinnitus patients have higher risk of developing anxiety-depressive disorders and decreased quality of life. The reasons why selected patients are able to cope with chronic tinnitus, whereas it represents a disabling symptom for others remain under discussion.

Objectives: the objective of the study was to determine the tinnitus-related degree of distress along with the prevalence of anxiety-depression disorders in a sample of eighty patients referring for chronic tinnitus at the Department of Otolaryngology of Catholic University of Rome from March to September 2015.

Steady state auditory evoked potentials in normal hearing subjects: evaluation of threshold and testing time.

Background: Steady state responses (SSRs), between 75 and 110 Hz, evoked by auditory amplitude modulated single or multiple tone stimuli, may be used to estimate objective hearing threshold.

Methods: The aim of this study was to compare SSRs and click-evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) in both ears of 20 adults (10 males and 10 females, aged between 24 and 36 years) with normal hearing threshold.

Results: Mean ABR threshold was found at 21.

Auditory processing in infancy: do early abnormalities predict disorders of language and cognitive development?

Increasing attention has been devoted to the maturation of sensory processing in the first year of life. While the development of cortical visual function has been thoroughly studied, much less information is available on auditory processing and its early disorders. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the assessment techniques for early auditory processing.

Sudden onset sensorineural hearing loss caused by meningeal carcinomatosis secondary to occult malignancy: report of two cases.

Meningeal carcinomatosis (MC) is an uncommon form of metastasis of solid tumors. In the absence of clinical meningeal or parenchymal involvements, the sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) as the starting symptom of MC is very infrequent. We report the history of two patients affected by MC who presented first with progressive SNHL.

Acute auditory agnosia as the presenting hearing disorder in MELAS.

MELAS is commonly associated with peripheral hearing loss. Auditory agnosia is a rare cortical auditory impairment, usually due to bilateral temporal damage. We document, for the first time, auditory agnosia as the presenting hearing disorder in MELAS.

Hearing loss in a family affected by Fabry disease.

Fabry disease is an inborn error of metabolism due to deficient activity of the lysosomal enzyme alpha-galactosidase A. The enzyme defect leads to the systemic accumulation of neutral glycosphingolipids in tissues. Otological manifestations consist of hearing loss and mild vestibular disorders.

Effects of isoflurane on auditory middle latency (MLRs) and steady-state (SSRs) responses recorded from the temporal cortex of the rat.

Auditory steady-state responses (SSRs) are believed to result from superimposition of middle latency responses (MLRs) evoked by individual stimuli during repetitive stimulation. Our previous studies showed that besides linear addition of MLRs, other phenomena, mainly related to the adaptive properties of neural sources, interact in a complex way to generate the SSRs recorded from the temporal cortex of awake rats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the inhalational general anesthetic, isoflurane, on MLRs and SSRs at several repetition rates (30-60 Hz) recorded from the temporal cortex of rats.