The potential dysfunction of otolith organs in patients after mumps infection

PLoS One. 2017 Jul 26;12(7):e0181907. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181907. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between mumps and the extent of hearing impairment and otolith organ damage.

Methods: A total of 27 patients with unilateral hearing impairment following mumps were enrolled. The degrees of hearing loss and otolith organ damage were confirmed by audiometric and vestibular evoked myogenic potential [VEMP] tests. All the results were compared and analyzed using Stata 13.0 software for Windows.

Results: The VEMP thresholds of the affected ears were significantly higher than those of the unaffected ears in both tests (cervical VEMP [cVEMP] test and ocular VEMP [oVEMP] test; p = 0.000 and 0.001, respectively). The mean cVEMP and oVEMP threshold values of the affected ears with hearing impairment for ≤10 years were significantly lower than those of affected ears with hearing impairment for >10 years [p = 0.009 and 0.004, respectively].

Conclusions: Deafness resulting from mumps is usually profound and permanent, which indicates severe damage to the cochlea due to the disease. The functions of otolith organs in the vestibular system are also impaired. Over time, the function of the otolith organs or their neural pathway may suffer secondary damage.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Audiometry / methods
  • Auditory Threshold
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cochlea / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Hearing Loss, Unilateral / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mumps / physiopathology*
  • Neural Pathways / physiopathology
  • Otolithic Membrane / physiopathology*
  • Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials*
  • Vestibule, Labyrinth / physiopathology
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (Grant: 81200739 to JW; http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/), the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program) (Grants: 2011CB504500 and 2011CB504506 to FC; http://www.most.gov.cn/), and the Innovation Project of Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission (Grant: 11411952300 to FC; http://www.stcsm.gov.cn/). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.