Background: It has been postulated that COVID-19 has a substantial audiovestibular impact, so further research is needed to assess vestibular system function in post COVID- 19 dizzy patients.
Aim of the Work: Assess vestibular system function after recovery from COVID-19 disease.
Patients and Method: The present study was conducted on a total of sixty subjects in Audiology unit at Hearing and Speech Institute. The study was performed on two groups: a study group consisted of 30 post COVID-19 patients 15 days post diagnosis and complaining of dizziness with mean age of 37.10± 7.95 years and a control group consisted of 30 normal hearing individuals without previous history of COVID-19 infection. Both study and control groups underwent basic audiological assessment, vestibular evaluation (Arabic version of dizziness handicapped inventory "DHI", bedside tests for vestibular and balance impairment, cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential Test "cVEMP", video Head Impulse Test "vHIT")
Results: The majority had normal hearing except for 5 (16.7%) subjects showed high frequency sensorineural hearing loss. The mean for total dizziness handicapped inventory score was 39.07± 13.10. Fourteen patients (46.7%) showed positional nystagmus. Nine patients (30%) showed abnormal vHIT results. cVEMP results showed a significant difference between the two groups in number of absent waves either unilateral or bilateral. COVID-19 affects mainly the peripheral vestibular system.
Conclusion: COVID-19 virus could affect peripheral end organ (semicircular canals, saccule, superior and inferior vestibular nerves) but central affection should be considered.