ReviewThe Laryngoscope2021
A Modern Case Sheds Light on a Classical Enigma: Beethoven's Deafness.
Review in The Laryngoscope, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.
- Aetiology of Ludwig van Beethoven's hearing impairment: hypotheses over the past 100 years - A systematic review.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2021Pooled it
- Alcohol and the death of Ludwig van Beethoven: comparison of general biographies to the medical literature.Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) · 2025Review
- Principles of environmental medicine: an educational case study of lead poisoning in Beethoven.Frontiers in public health · 2025Review
- [Anton Bruckner: the Linz cathedral organist, university teacher, symphonic musician : Could modern intensive care medicine have helped him and his illnesses?]Medizinische Klinik, Intensivmedizin und Notfallmedizin · 2024Article
- Does lead take the lead as the best explanation for Beethoven deafness?European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2021Article
- For each hypothesis on the aetiology of Beethoven's hearing disorder, there remain pro's and con's.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2021Article
- Beethoven-life and maladies.Wiener medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) · 2021Article
- In Reference to A Modern Case Sheds Light on a Classical Enigma: Beethoven's Deafness.The Laryngoscope · 2021Article
- In memoriam Ludwig van Beethoven. Clinical history and possible diagnoses of the genius of musical composition in silence.Revista de gastroenterologia de Mexico (English)Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Two hundred and fifty years have passed since the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven, and the enigma about his hearing loss and overall health status seems to be not completely solved. However, the admission to the hospital of a 64-year-old woman in 2018 with symptoms extremely similar to those experienced by the great composer may add further evidence to a theory previously underestimated. The health issues of the modern patient were found to be due to chronic lead intoxication. The lead was released during daily cooking using a ceramic-coated frying pan with worn surface that poisoned her breakfast most probably for years. Abdominal pain, asthenia, and hearing loss affecting the high frequencies with a many impact on speech intelligibility tormented the patient, as they had Beethoven. An extensive review of the music and medical literature was performed, as well as re-examination of manuscripts, correspondence, and autopsy reports of the famous composer; and great similarities have been found. The soundness of the most-cited classical theories about Beethoven's hearing loss will be discussed. After close scrutiny of the theories, our analysis points toward a progressive sensorineural hearing loss due to lead intoxication as the most probable cause of not only Beethoven's hypoacusis but his overall health status as well. Laryngoscope, 131:179-185, 2021.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.