TITLE:
Cochlear and Vestibular Functional Study in Patients with Sudden Deafness and Lyme Disease
AUTHORS:
Ziane Selmani, Ilmari Pyykkö
KEYWORDS:
Idiopathic Sudden Deafness; Lyme Disease; Low Frequency Sound Stimulation
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery,
Vol.3 No.1,
January
16,
2014
ABSTRACT: Lyme disease (LD) and idiopathic sudden deafness (ISD) are supposed to be
different diseases with different aetiologies. In an attempt to confirm this assumption, 10 patients
with confirmed LD and 12 patients with ISD were consecutively included into the
study. Further to the laboratory and audio logical investigation, a low frequency sound (LFS) stimulation
on posturography was performed and evaluated. Patients with ISD had higher pure
tone average (PTA) than patients with LD (PTA ISD/LD was 72 decibel (dB)/23 dB).
There was no difference of vertigo between LD and ISD patients. Patients with ISD
have more body sway velocity during the first stimulation than patients with LD. We conclude
that the cochlear organ is more affected in ISD patients than in patients with
LD. However, the vestibular organ seems to be affected in both diseases. ISD and
LD are two different disease entities with different aetiologies but with common
otological clinical signs.