Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Ghanaians with Sickle Cell disease.

Abstract

A study seeking to determine whether Sensorineural hearing loss occurs with similar prevalence in sickle cell haemoglobin (Hb) SS and SC disease patients was conducted on 200 subjects comprising 93 Hb SC patients, 55 Hb SS patient. and 52 Hb AA subjects serving as controls. Each subject was given haematological and pure tone audiological examinations. Three out of 93 Hb SC patient (3.2%) showed hearing losses ranging from 30 10 40 dB but 15 out of 55 Hb SS patients (27.3%) exhibited hearing loss ranging from 30 to 60 dB. All hearing losses were in the high frequency range of 4 to 8kHz, Further studies art required to determine why Sensorineural hearing loss is prevalent in Hb SS patients but not so common in Hb SC patients.