Drop attacks are a rare, debilitating symptom of Ménière’s disease that affect an individual’s physical and mental health. The aim of this series was to assess the response to treatment regimens in patients presenting with drop attacks.

A retrospective case series of 8 patients with Ménière’s disease and drop attacks was followed up for an average of 67 months (range, 17–120 months).

All patients were initially managed with intratympanic steroids, with four patients having a complete response. The four non-responding patients were treated with intratympanic gentamicin, with one patient responding. Three patients were treated with triple canal occlusion. Two patients demonstrated drop attack resolution and one had a partial response. Seven out of 8 patients (87.5 per cent) suffered from depression.

Steroid injections had a 50 per cent success rate in complete resolution of drop attacks. Gentamicin injections and triple semi-circular canal occlusion can bring benefits in patients failing steroid treatment.

Existing reviews on mental health disparities between deaf and hard‐of‐hearing (DHH) and hearing populations have focused predominantly on children, adolescents, or older adults, leaving a gap for working-age adults. We conducted a systematic review comparing the prevalence, incidence, and severity of any DSM-5-TR or ICD-11 mental disorder between DHH and hearing adults aged 18–60 years. We aimed to quantify disparities and examine disorder-specific patterns to inform future research, policy, and service development.

On 13 December 2025, we searched Ovid Medline, Embase, APA PsycINFO and Web of Science. We included analytical observational studies involving DHH and hearing adults aged 18–60 years, reporting mental disorder prevalence, incidence, or severity. Two researchers independently extracted data, and risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using the modified CLARITY tool. We narratively synthesised findings by aggregating outcomes at the study level using two approaches: summary and majority of the effect directions within a study. Subgroup syntheses examined outcome type, study RoB, age group and mental disorder category.

Sixty studies (n = 8 578 466) met inclusion. In the summary-direction synthesis, 58.3% (35/60) of studies reported higher mental disorder outcomes for DHH adults, 21.7% (13/60) found no difference and 20.0% (12/60) had mixed findings; none indicated lower mental disorder outcomes for DHH. Under the majority-direction approach, 65.0% (39/60) showed higher mental disorder outcomes and 35.0% (21/60) no difference. These patterns were consistent across prevalence (62.8–72.1% higher) and severity (61.1% higher). Studies with higher RoB more often reported higher mental disorder outcomes (66.7–72.2%) than lower-RoB studies (54.8–61.9%), though both mirrored the overall synthesis. Effects were similar across younger (61.9–71.4%) and older adult samples (61.1–66.7% higher). Disorder-specific syntheses identified psychotic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal outcomes as having the strongest disparities (≥72.2% higher), followed by general mental disorders, anxiety and depression. Fewer than five studies examined each of the other disorders, thereby limiting conclusions for these disorders.

Most available evidence indicates that the prevalence and severity of mental disorders are higher among DHH adults aged 18–60 years than among hearing adults, with limited evidence on incidence. No studies reported lower aggregated mental disorder outcomes for DHH adults. Addressing these disparities requires targeted intervention research, supported by population-based, longitudinal and (quasi-)experimental studies including comprehensive reporting of participant characteristics. This will inform more tailored interventions, improve screening and ultimately contribute to better mental health and quality of life for DHH adults.

To examine the effects of age and hearing loss on travelling wave delay by comparing frequency-specific action potential latencies obtained with electrocochleography.

A cross-sectional design was applied. Tympanic membrane electrocochleography recordings at 0.5 and 4 kHz were analysed in 85 ears from 49 adults. Participants were divided into four groups: older adults with hearing loss (n = 22), older adults with normal hearing (n = 18), younger adults with hearing loss (n = 19) and younger adults with normal hearing (n = 26).

Age and hearing loss significantly influenced action potential latencies. At 0.5 kHz, the older adults with hearing loss showed the longest latencies (p < 0.001). At 4 kHz, older adults with hearing loss differed from older adults with normal hearing (p = 0.027). Travelling wave delay varied across groups (p < 0.001), with the shortest travelling wave delay in younger adults with normal hearing and the longest travelling wave delay in older adults with hearing loss.

Ageing and hearing loss slow travelling wave velocity, providing an indirect but sensitive marker of early cochlear transmission deficits.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the SmartNav in detecting tip fold-over during cochlear implantation and to compare angular insertion depth measurements obtained via SmartNav and transorbital X-ray imaging.

This retrospective multicentre study included patients with normal cochlear anatomy, comprising 163 individuals and 213 ears who underwent cochlear implantation using Nucleus CI522 and CI622 systems at Gazi University Faculty of Medicine and Gaziantep City Hospital.

Of the 213 cochlear implantations, tip fold-over was detected in 4 implantations (1.88 per cent) intra-operatively with SmartNav. One case (0.47 per cent) of tip fold-over was not detected by SmartNav and identified post-operatively through X-ray imaging. SmartNav showed a sensitivity of 80 per cent, specificity of 100 per cent. A strong correlation was found between SmartNav and X-ray angular insertion depth measurements (p < 0.001).

The SmartNav is a reliable tool for the intra-operative detection of tip fold-overand the assessment of angular insertion depth in patients with normal cochlear anatomy.

This study examined the temporal and seasonal distribution of sudden sensorineural hearing loss admissions and audiogram types from 2015 to 2024 using seasonal-trend decomposition with locally estimated scatterplot smoothing.

A retrospective analysis included sudden sensorineural hearing loss patients admitted to a tertiary otorhinolaryngology clinic between January 2015 and December 2024. Demographics, admission dates and audiogram types were evaluated.

Among 738 patients (mean age 45.7 ± 15.6 years; 58.4% male), admissions varied significantly across years, months and seasons, peaking from November to March. Winter admissions were highest, while autumn had the lowest. Seasonal-trend decomposition with locally estimated scatterplot smoothing confirmed recurring seasonal patterns. Although audiogram types showed no seasonal or pandemic association, their distribution differed significantly by month.

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss admissions demonstrate clear temporal and seasonal clustering, aligning with influenza-like illness peaks and suggesting a viral contribution. Monthly audiogram variations imply possible environmental influences.

This study describes the management and outcomes of temporal bone fractures resulting from falls.

We retrospectively reviewed patients with traumatic temporal bone fractures from 2018 through 2022.

We analysed 171 patients with temporal bone fractures, 62 (36.3 per cent) of which occurred secondary to falls. Fall patients were significantly older than non-fall patients (mean age 46 vs. 38 years; p = 0.0079) and had higher Modified Frailty Index-5 scores (0.63 vs. 0.20; p = 0.0003). Fall patients had shorter hospital stays (10.1 vs. 15.8 days; p = 0.015), were more frequently discharged home (66.1 vs. 44.0 per cent; p = 0.007) and were less likely to experience non-resolving facial nerve weakness (6.5 vs. 21.1 per cent; p = 0.030).

Patients with temporal bone fractures from falls are older and frailer than non-fall patients and have unique preventative and rehabilitation needs.

Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral illness, has varied systemic manifestations, but its auditory effects remain underexplored. The objective of this study was to assess the association between dengue infection and hearing loss.

A prospective case-control study was conducted on 79 patients—40 dengue-positive (NS1 antigen confirmed) and 39 with other febrile illnesses. All participants underwent otological examination and pure tone audiometry.

Hearing loss was observed in 15.2 per cent of dengue patients, with none in controls (p < 0.001). The odds ratio for hearing loss in dengue was 34.6 (95 per cent confidence interval: 1.97–610). Dengue patients exhibited significantly elevated air and bone conduction thresholds (p < 0.001). Lower platelet counts and higher C-reactive protein levels correlated with hearing loss, suggesting vascular and inflammatory mechanisms.

Dengue fever may be associated with reversible sensorineural hearing loss, likely due to microvascular and inflammatory injury to the cochlea. Early audiological screening is recommended in dengue cases.

This review explored whether and how prescribers modify their prescribing behaviour for older people (≥65) with hearing, visual or dual impairment (hereafter referred to as sensory impairment) in primary care settings and identified what evidence sources exist to inform prescribing for these specific patient populations.

Older people with sensory impairment may experience substantial challenges with medicines management compared with older people without sensory impairment. The prevalence of sensory impairment and medicine use increases with age, as such, practitioners may need to consider how to modify their prescribing behaviour to improve the safe and effective use of medicines.

This study was conducted to reflect the Joanna Briggs Institute [JBI] methodology for scoping reviews. Electronic databases were searched: MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Google, and Google Scholar. Qualitative and quantitative studies were included if published between January 2012 and April 2023. Grey literature sources, including Google and Google Scholar, were also searched. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they focussed on prescribing behaviour for older people with sensory impairment in primary care settings. Independent duplicate data extraction was undertaken of details about the participants, concept, context, study methods, outcomes, and key findings relevant to the review question.

A total of 3,590 records were identified through database searching and 10 full text articles were retrieved. Grey literature identified a further 61 records. On examination, none of the articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria for this review.

This review has highlighted a gap in the evidence regarding prescribing for these high risk patient populations. There may be a need for the development of resources, such as evidence based guidelines, to support the safe and effective use of medicines for these specific patient populations.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a newly implemented protocol for the management of permanent childhood hearing impairment in a UK district general hospital.

A retrospective closed-loop audit was conducted over two 24-month cycles. Children diagnosed with permanent childhood hearing impairment, through the national hearing screening program, were included.

Implementation of the new protocol led to significant improvements between the two cycles. The mean time from diagnosis to first ENT review reduced from 439.4 to 188.1 days. The interval from diagnosis to magnetic resonance imaging acquisition improved from 617.8 to 58.5 days (p < 0.05), whilst the mean age at magnetic resonance imaging reduced from 758.3 to 102.6 days (p < 0.05). Magnetic resonance imaging utilisation increased from 60 per cent to 100 per cent, and genetic referrals rose from 28.6 per cent to 100 per cent.

These findings highlight the effectiveness of a streamlined protocol in improving multidisciplinary care for children with permanent childhood hearing impairment, offering a model for broader adoption in similar healthcare settings

The inner ear is a complex sensory organ with finely balanced physiology; disrupting this may cause hearing changes or vestibular symptoms. Pregnancy involves multiple significant reversible alterations in physiological state. This study reviews literature on the inner ear in pregnancy.

The review was pre-registered on the PROSPERO database CRD42023446898. Robust searches were conducted by two independent researchers according to the PRISMA 2020 guideline.

A total of 69 studies were filtered into the final analysis. Consistent evidence of subclinical hearing loss in pregnancy was identified, which resolved following childbirth. Auditory processing is affected by pregnancy. Vestibular dysfunction may contribute to pregnancy nausea. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss does not occur more frequently in pregnancy.

This review summarises evidence for reversible and irreversible changes to hearing and vestibular function in pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, reviewing aetiological theories and offering insight to audiovestibular physiology and explaining audiovestibular symptoms in the pregnant patient.

To investigate the association between Healthy Eating Index 2015 scores and hearing loss.

This study used cross-sectional data from individuals aged over 20 years (n = 5171) who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2012 and from 2015 to 2018. Information was collected on their hearing, Healthy Eating Index 2015 scores, and several other important covariates using multivariate regression analyses.

After adjusting for potential confounders, when hearing loss was defined as ≥20 dB, the odds ratios for low-frequency and high-frequency hearing loss were 0.99 (95 per cent confidence interval (CI) = 0.98−0.99, p < 0.001) and 0.99 (95 per cent CI = 0.98−1, p = 0.006), respectively. When hearing loss was defined as >25 dB, the odds ratios for low-frequency hearing loss and speech-frequency band hearing loss were 0.98 (95 per cent CI = 0.98−0.99, p < 0.001) and 0.99 (95 per cent CI = 0.98−1, p = 0.008), respectively.

In U.S. adults, the Healthy Eating Index 2015 is associated with hearing loss.

To analyse the evolution of the vertigo index and its relationship with perceived disability in unilateral and bilateral Ménière’s disease, assessing differences based on disease progression and clinical subtypes.

A longitudinal descriptive study was conducted on unilateral and bilateral Ménière’s disease patients, with data collected between 1977 and 2023 from two referral centres. Clinical and functional data were retrospectively reviewed to ensure compliance with updated diagnostic criteria. The vertigo index, integrating episode duration and frequency, quantified vertigo burden. Functional impact was assessed using the six-item American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery disability scale, categorising patients into mild or moderate/severe disability groups.

Bilateral Ménière’s disease patients had a higher proportion of moderate/severe episodes (31.4 per cent) than unilateral Ménière’s disease patients (11 per cent). In unilateral Ménière’s disease patients, disability perception increased after 20 years of disease evolution. The vertigo index declined over time, except in later stages, where episodes were more disabling.

These findings underscore the need for long-term follow up, particularly in bilateral Ménière’s disease, where greater disability was observed. Disease management should adapt over time, addressing both vertigo burden and psycho-affective consequences.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal is rare, with bilateral cases even rarer. We report the management of a patient with bilateral external auditory canal squamous cell carcinoma related to radiotherapy and immunosuppression.

A 47-year-old woman with a history of radiotherapy 14 years prior and renal transplantation 6 years prior presented with bilateral external auditory canal squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma was excised with a purely surgical approach. The two operations included a tympanic membrane graft to preserve hearing on the left side. The patient remains disease-free six months post-op. She uses a bone-conduction hearing aid to good effect on the right side and has mild hearing loss on the left. The operative areas have healed well.

The patient’s previous radiotherapy and immunosuppression may have contributed to her bilateral external auditory canal squamous cell carcinoma. Preventative positron emission tomography scans have the potential to identify second malignancies early, allowing more conservative treatment plans.

To compare the sound localisation abilities of bimodal cochlear implant and bilateral cochlear implant users.

A horizontal sound source discrimination task was conducted with 44 and 20 bimodal and bilateral cochlear implant users, respectively. Paired and two-sample t-tests were performed for paired and unpaired data, respectively.

The root mean square error scores of the bimodal cochlear implant and bilateral cochlear implant users were 75.77 ± 10.49° and 54.39 ± 19.82°, respectively. The bilateral cochlear implant users’ root mean square error score was significantly better than that of the bimodal cochlear implant users (t = 5.65, p < 0.001). The root mean square error scores of bimodal cochlear implant users with good and poor low-frequency hearing were 75.45 ± 11.07° and 76.10 ± 10.14°, respectively, with no significant intergroup difference (t = 0.20, p = 0.84).

Bilateral cochlear implantation may be more helpful for sound localisation in patients with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The better low-frequency hearing threshold of the non-implanted ears did not result in better sound localisation ability in bimodal cochlear implant users.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the Healthy Eating Index 2015 scores and hearing loss.

This study utilized cross-sectional data from individuals aged over 20 years (n = 5171) who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2012 and 2015 to 2018. We collected information on their hearing, Healthy Eating Index 2015 scores and several other important covariates using multivariate regression analyses.

After adjusting for potential confounders, when hearing loss was defined as greater than or equal to 20 dB, the odds ratio for low-frequency hearing loss and high-frequency hearing loss was 0.99 (95 per cent confidence interval: 0.98–0.99; p < 0.001) and 0.99 (95 per cent confidence interval: 0.98–1; p = 0.006), respectively. When hearing loss was defined as greater than 25 dB, the odds ratio for low-frequency hearing loss and speech-frequency band hearing loss was 0.98 (95 per cent confidence interval: 0.98–0.99; p < 0.001) and 0.99 (95 per cent confidence interval: 0.98–1; p = 0.008), respectively.

In American adults, Healthy Eating Index scores are associated with hearing loss.