Aetiological Factors in Acquired Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Jos

SUMMARY

A prospective study has been carried out to evaluate aetiological features in acquired sensorineural hearing loss at the outpatient clinic of Jos University Teaching Hospital from August 1989 to December 1994.

Four hundred and fifty-six patients have been studied to evaluate the aetiological factors associated with sensorineural hearing loss in patients seen at the Jos University Teaching Hospital – 261 Males and 143 females were seen with a female to male ratio of 1:1.3. Ages of the patients ranged from seven to 88 years.

Common aetiological factors included unknown causes, typhoid fever, pyrexia of unknown origin, meningitis, hypertension, drug toxicity, noise induced hearing loss and presbyacusis.

More than 40% of the causative factors were preventable. There were long periods of delay before treatment was sought. 69.5% of patients had severe to profound hearing loss and 78.9% of patients suffered bilateral loss. Niger Med J, 2003, Vol. 44(1): 4 - 6.

KEY WORDS: Sensorineural hearing loss, Acquired Hearing Loss, aetiological factors.