RESEARCH - RA does not increase risk of hearing loss, Mayo Clinic study finds

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Does Not Increase Risk Of Hearing Loss, Mayo Clinic

Study Finds

Article Date: 09 Mar 2006 - 1:00am (PDT)

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that people with rheumatoid arthritis are

no more likely to have hearing loss than other members of the general

population. The finding is contrary to previous study results that linked

the disease to elevated risk of hearing problems.

The study results will be presented Monday at the American Auditory Society

annual meeting in sdale, Ariz.

" This is very good news for rheumatoid arthritis patients, " says

Matteson, M.D., Mayo Clinic rheumatologist and senior study researcher.

" Patients with rheumatoid arthritis actually have preserved hearing and are

no more susceptible to hearing loss than those who do not have the disease;

there is no measurable difference with standard testing. This was

surprising. I expected to see more hearing loss in rheumatoid arthritis

patients. "

The study included 29 patients ages 40 to 69 who had rheumatoid arthritis

for more than five years, categorized by decades of age. The researchers

compared them to 30 participants of the same gender and age categories who

did not have rheumatoid arthritis. All participants had comprehensive

hearing tests and questionnaires to measure hearing and dizziness handicaps

and assess their overall health. Seventeen of 29 patients with rheumatoid

arthritis had abnormal hearing for at least one sound frequency (a measure

of pitch), as did 14 of 30 of those without rheumatoid arthritis.

Dr. Matteson notes, however, that the findings do not mean that hearing loss

is never related to rheumatoid arthritis. " Hearing loss can be a symptom of

rheumatoid arthritis, but it doesn't seem to be more of a problem than in

the general population, " he says.

The researchers found that though no objective difference was detected in

comprehensive hearing evaluations of rheumatoid arthritis patients compared

to those without the disease, the rheumatoid arthritis patients were more

likely to perceive that they had hearing problems. This phenomenon was most

pronounced in those who had more severe rheumatoid arthritis and had

disabilities due to the disease.

" Perhaps this is due to severe disability and thus an overall feeling of

helplessness, " says Dr. Matteson. " People who have profound disability may

generalize their disabilities to other areas of the body -- they just feel

worse overall. "

Among the rheumatoid arthritis patients who had hearing loss, most often the

loss was partial and due to nerve problems in the inner ear (sensorineural).

The cause of this loss is uncertain, but may be due to factors such as noise

exposure according to the researchers. In addition, the hearing loss may be

related to an autoimmune attack in which the immune system attacks the

cochlea, the inner ear cavity containing hair cells and the nerves which

connect the cochlea to the brain. The researchers also noted a possible link

between the hearing loss and rheumatoid arthritis medications, as patients

who took hydroxychloroquine were somewhat more likely to have hearing

problems than other study participants.

Critical next steps in this research, according to Dr. Matteson, are a large

study of hearing loss among members of the general population with and

without rheumatoid arthritis, in addition to a study to assess the impact of

rheumatoid arthritis medications on hearing.

The research team also included Halligan, M.D.; Bauch,

Ph.D.; Brey, Ph.D.; Sara Achenbach and Bamlet, all of Mayo

Clinic.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=39024

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