Hearing sensitivity in patients with myxoedema before and after treatment with l-thyroxine

Fifteen patients with confirmed myxoedema, median age 76 years, were consecutively referred for audiological evaluation. The diagnosis of myxoedema was based on the symptomatology, typical clinical appearance, increased TSH level and decreased T4. The audiological evaluation included routine ENT-examination, pure-tone octave audiometry, determination of speech reception threshold and discrimination score. The function of the middle ear was evaluated by impedance audiometry, indicating both middle ear pressure and stapedial reflex thresholds elicited by contralateral stimulation. All patients were evaluated in the myxoedematous state before treatment with l-thyroxine and reevaluated when treated and found euthyroid, both by the clinical investigation and as judged by chemical thyroid parameters. Bilateral symmetrical or nearly symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss was demonstrated in all patients before treatment. The results indicate that in elderly patients with myxoedema no improvement in hearing sensitivity can be demonstrated upon l-thyroxine medication. Patients with myxoedema at this age demonstrate neither more nor less degree of hearing loss when related to an age-matched group of hearing impaired patients. In patients with myxoedema the hearing impairment is found to be equal to that of an age and sex matched control group exhibiting true age-related hearing loss.