Middle ear function in rheumatoid arthritis

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Rheumatology
• Audiology

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease.
• Middle ear function can be affected by various systemic conditions.
• Previous research on middle ear involvement in RA is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate middle ear function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to a control group.
• To identify potential differences in otoadmittance measurements between RA patients and controls.
• To explore the characteristics of middle ear abnormalities in RA.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an otoadmittance meter to assess middle ear function.
• Included 38 patients with RA and 30 matched controls with non-articular rheumatism.
• Excluded participants with pre-existing ear disease and confirmed normal hearing via pure tone audiometry.

Main Results:

• Otoadmittance abnormalities were observed in 42% of RA patients versus 7% of controls.
• Abnormalities indicated increased laxity of the middle ear conducting system in both groups.
• No significant differences in clinical, laboratory, or treatment features were found between RA patients with normal and abnormal otoadmittance recordings.

Conclusions:

• A higher prevalence of middle ear laxity was detected in RA patients.
• The underlying cause for this increased laxity in RA remains unknown.
• Further research is warranted to understand the mechanism and implications of middle ear dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis.