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Does rheumatoid arthritis have an effect on audiovestibular tests?
Mahmut Özkırış1, Zeliha Kapusuz, İlhan Günaydın
1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Bozok University Medical Faculty, Adnan Menderes Bulvarı No:42, Yozgat, Turkey, mozkiris@yahoo.com.
Summary
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients show significant high-frequency hearing loss and audiovestibular dysfunction. These hearing and balance issues are more common in RA than previously thought.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Rheumatology
- Audiology
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease.
- RA can affect various organs, but audiovestibular involvement is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate hearing loss characteristics, vestibular responses, and the incidence of vestibular disturbances in RA patients.
- To compare audiovestibular function between RA patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 81 RA patients and 81 healthy controls.
- Low and high-frequency audiometry and tympanometry were performed.
- Videonystagmography (VNG) was used to assess vestibular function.
Main Results:
- RA patients exhibited significantly lower mean air conduction thresholds at high frequencies (4,000, 6,000, 8,000 Hz) compared to controls.
- Tympanometric values showed no statistically significant difference between groups.
- VNG revealed central abnormalities in 24.69%, peripheral in 6.17%, and mixed in 7.4% of RA patients.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest an association between RA and audiovestibular system dysfunction.
- Hearing loss and vestibular disturbances may be more prevalent in RA patients than previously recognized.
- High-frequency hearing loss in RA patients could indicate cochlear involvement.
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