title: Hearing disorders in HIV positive adult patients not on anti-retroviral drugs at Kenyatta National Hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and type of hearing disorders in HIV positive patients not on anti - retroviral drugs (ARVs) and correlate this with the world health Organization (WHO) stage of HIV disease and CD4 positive cell counts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comprehensive Care Clinic (CCC) and Voluntary Counseling and testing centre at Kenyatta National Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundread and ninety four HIV positive patients attending CCC and 124 HIV negative subjects recruited from voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) centre.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hearing loss (HL) was present in 33.5% of HIV positive compared to 8.1% in negative subjects. No gender bias in HL Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) was the most common and the frequencies most 'affected were four-anti eight kHz
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hearing loss is more prevalent in HIV positive individuals not on anti-retroviral drugs than negative normal subjects. Low CD4 cell count and advanced HIV diseases were associated with increased chance of having a hearing loss. Otological care should be part of the comprehensive care of HIV positive patients.
authors: Armed Forces Memorial Hospital P. O Box 13419-00100 Nairobi, Kenya.
authors: B A
authors: BA
authors: Ongulo
authors: H O
authors: HO
authors: Oburra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents