RESEARCH - Audiovestibular disorders in patients with ankylosing spondylitis [and RA]

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J Clin Rheumatol. 2005 Apr;11(2):81-5.

Audiovestibular disorders in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Section of Rheumatology, Instituto de Rehabilitacion Psicofisica,

Escheverria 995, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina.

OBJECTIVE: Audiovestibular disorders have been described in several

autoimmune diseases but have not been studied in patients with ankylosing

spondylitis (AS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the audiovestibular

function in patients with AS. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 22

consecutive patients with AS. Clinical, radiologic, and immunogenetic

features were analyzed. All patients underwent a complete ear, nose, and

throat physical examination and audiologic evaluation that included

pure-tone audiometry thresholds at octave frequencies of 250 to 8000 Hz,

impedance audiometry (tympanogram, static compliance, acoustic reflexes, and

reflex decay), and speech audiometry. Thirty-one healthy volunteers and 26

patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were included as controls. RESULTS:

Patients with AS had a median age of 45.5 years (interquartile range [iQR]

38-54) and a median disease duration of 20 years (IQR 12.5-26.2).

Otosclerosis was observed in 2 patients with AS (9.1%), 3 patients with RA

(11.5%), but not in any healthy controls (P = not significant).

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) was observed in 13 patients with AS (59%),

17 patients with RA (65.4%), and 13 healthy controls (41.9%) without

statistically significant differences. Because age can influence audiometric

results, patients and controls were divided into 4 age groups. A higher

frequency of SNHL was observed in patients with AS from 45 to 59 years

compared with healthy controls and patients with RA (87% versus 20%, P =

0.03, versus 70%, P = not significant, respectively).

CONCLUSION: Middle-aged patients with AS had a significantly higher

frequency of SNHL compared with controls. SNHL should be considered as a

possible complication of AS as well as of RA and other autoimmune diseases.

Possible toxic effect of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs should also be

considered in such patients.

PMID: 16357708

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Retrieve & dopt=Abstra\

ctPlus & list_uids=16357708

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