Audiological findings in celiac disease.

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Immunology

Background:

• Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated enteropathy triggered by gluten in genetically predisposed individuals.
• Extraintestinal manifestations of CD are increasingly recognized, suggesting broader systemic effects.
• The impact of CD on the auditory pathway, particularly the olivocochlear efferent system in children, requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of celiac disease on the auditory pathway in children.
• To assess potential auditory system dysfunction, including the olivocochlear efferent system, in pediatric CD patients.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 41 pediatric patients with celiac disease and 31 healthy controls underwent audiological evaluations.
• Evaluations included pure-tone audiometry, tympanometry, transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE), and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE).
• Contralateral suppression of TEOAE was also assessed to evaluate the olivocochlear efferent system.

Main Results:

• Children with CD exhibited significantly higher auditory thresholds at 250 Hz compared to controls (p < 0.05).
• Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) amplitudes in DPOAE and TEOAE (with and without contralateral acoustic stimulus) were significantly lower at 1,000 Hz in CD patients (p < 0.0001).
• No significant differences were observed in contralateral suppression amplitudes between the CD and control groups.

Conclusions:

• Celiac disease significantly affects the auditory system in children.
• Findings indicate elevated auditory thresholds at 250 Hz and reduced DPOAE and TEOAE amplitudes at 1,000 Hz in pediatric CD patients.
• These results highlight the importance of considering auditory health in the comprehensive management of celiac disease in children.