PURPOSE: This umbrella review synthesizes and discusses systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) on auditory outcomes associated with COVID-19 infection and vaccination side effects. It is innovative in offering a comprehensive synthesis of evidence across adults and infants while summarizing vaccine-related auditory side effects. METHOD: This literature search followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines, with no restrictions on population age or symptom severity. Four electronic databases were searched from their inception to October 2024. The Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 checklist and Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews tool were used to assess the quality of evidence and the risk of bias. RESULTS: The systematic search identified 534 articles, narrowed down to 14 SRs following a full-text review: Nine focused on auditory outcomes of COVID-19
two, on outcomes in infants born to mothers infected during pregnancy
and three, on the auditory side effects of vaccination. A random-effects model revealed significantly high pooled estimates of hearing loss (5.0%, 95% CI [1.0, 9.0], CONCLUSIONS: Evidence suggests a significantly high rate of hearing loss and tinnitus associated with COVID-19 in adults, although auditory symptoms remain rare in newborns and following vaccination. However, caution is warranted due to limitations and variability across the studies.