Cochlear Impairment in Individuals with Chronic Renal Dysfunction: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This systematic review aims to see the effect of chronic renal dysfunction on individuals hearing ability. This review compares the effect of haemodialysis (which is a procedure to restore the functioning of your kidney) and chronic kidney disease (It is a disorder where the kidneys capacity gradually declines) on hearing. The study used a detailed exploration of the major databases (e.g. Pubmed Central, Semantic Scholar, Science Direct, and Google Scholar) to archive the objectives of the systematic review. The retrieved articles were assessed in two stages: title and abstract screening, followed by a full-length article review. Twelve articles were selected after the full length article review out of 19 shortlisted articles. Chronic renal function is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in the later stages of disease. Most of the studies taken for the systematic review, found that reduced hearing acuity is common in individuals with chronic renal insufficiency. It is observed that whether conservatively or haemodialyzed, hearing acuity was observed to be diminished in CRF patients. Hence, haemodialysis may not be hazardous to hearing impairment in CRF patients. While reduced hearing acuity is common in people with chronic renal insufficiency, haemodialysis may not be harmful to hearing. Therefore, it is needed that Regular screening for hearing loss should be included in the routine care of CKD patients in order to improve their quality of life.