Hearing evaluation with ABR in pediatric patients with celiac disease

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Neuroscience
• Audiology

Background:

• Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten intolerance.
• Neurological complications in CD are often attributed to immune mechanisms.
• The potential impact of CD on auditory function, specifically Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR), is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if Celiac disease affects Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) waves in children.
• To compare ABR findings in children with CD to a healthy control group.
• To explore the association between CD and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).

Main Methods:

• Study included 38 children diagnosed with Celiac disease (ages 2-16).
• A control group of 18 healthy children (ages 3-17) was included.
• All participants underwent Auditory-Brain-Stem-Evoked Responses (ABR) testing using click stimuli at 90dB HL.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in ABR wave latencies (I, III, V) between the CD group and the control group.
• Interpeak latencies (I-III, I-V, III-V) also showed no significant differences between the groups.
• No clinical hearing loss was observed in any of the children with Celiac disease.

Conclusions:

• Celiac disease did not demonstrate a significant impact on Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) parameters in the studied pediatric population.
• The findings suggest that ABR may not be a sensitive indicator for auditory changes in children with CD.
• Further research is recommended to fully understand the relationship between Celiac disease and auditory health, including sensorineural hearing loss.