Borrelia burgdorferi infection is worth screening to investigate
sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) etiology: a systematic review
Abstract
Background and aim Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is the commonest
hearing disorder prevalent. Borrelia burgdorferi is a spirochete whose
infection has been shown to result in SNHL. This systematic review aims
to investigate the prevalence and association of B. burgdorferi
infection in SNHL. Methods A systematic literature search on the
databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and UpToDate® was performed. Study
selection process was done in accordance with the PRISMA guideline. In
brief, studies were selected first by title and abstract screening
followed by a full-text inspection. The quality assessment of the
included studies was performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute
Critical Appraisal tool. Data on study characteristics, patient
demographics, audiological, microbiological, symptomatological, and
therapeutical findings were extracted. Results The study search
retrieved a total of 8,772 studies and 9 of them met out eligibility
requirement. There were altogether 964 SNHL patients. 71 (7.3%) were
tested positive for B. burgdorferi infection. The commonest symptoms in
infected SNHL patients were tinnitus (53%) and vertigo (47%). Patients
treated with steroids along with ceftriaxone showed a higher hearing
recovery rate. Conclusion Borrelia burgdorferi infection is responsible
for a substantial proportion of sensorineural hearing loss and should be
investigated whenever no other reasons of hearing loss are established.