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Is Macular Telangiectasia Type 2 Associated with Hearing Loss and Cochlear Dysfunction? A Prospective Case-Control
Yeşim Yüksel1, Muhammet Yıldız1, Muhammet Kazım Erol2
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, 07100 Antalya, Turkey.
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 14, 2026
Summary
Macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel2) is linked to significant hearing loss, particularly in higher frequencies. Auditory screening may be beneficial for MacTel2 patients, revealing cochlear dysfunction.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Audiology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel2) is a progressive retinal disorder with potential systemic links.
- Cochlear structures are susceptible to microvascular and metabolic stressors, suggesting a possible connection to MacTel2.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between Macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel2) and auditory dysfunction.
- To determine if MacTel2 patients exhibit measurable hearing impairment compared to healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Prospective case-control study with 21 MacTel2 patients and 21 matched controls.
- Comprehensive audiological assessment including pure-tone audiometry (0.5-16 kHz), distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE), and auditory brainstem response (ABR).
- Hearing loss graded using WHO criteria and a clinical cutoff (PTA4 > 25 dB HL).
Main Results:
- MacTel2 patients showed significantly higher hearing thresholds across conventional and extended high frequencies compared to controls.
- Reduced DPOAE amplitudes and increased DPOAE absence were observed in MacTel2 patients, indicating cochlear dysfunction.
- Auditory brainstem response (ABR) parameters were comparable between groups, suggesting preserved central auditory pathways.
Conclusions:
- Macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel2) is associated with peripheral auditory impairment, primarily affecting the cochlea.
- Findings support the role of outer hair cell dysfunction in MacTel2.
- Auditory screening, including extended high-frequency audiometry and DPOAE, may be clinically relevant for MacTel2 patients.
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