Evaluation of Hearing Functions with Audiological Tests in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Objective: Aim of this study was to show the effects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on auditory system using pure tone audiometer and tympanometric assessments and to compare these values with healthy controls. Methods: This study included 107 subjects: 57 RA patients who were being followed at our clinic with a RA diagnosis and 50 healthy controls who had similar age and gender properties. Besides clinical and laboratory findings audiometric, and tympanometric tests and stapes reflex measurements were compared for all patients. Results: Results of this study showed statistically significant differences in air conduction thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 6 kHz frequencies between RA patients and controls. In RA patients, bone conduction was affected only at 4 kHz and more in left ear. Additionally, air-bone conduction differences were significant except at 2 kHz. Although air-bone conduction difference was higher in the study group than the control group, this was not statistically significant. Similarly no significant difference was detected in stapes reflex and tympanometric measurements between RA patients and healthy controls statistically. Conclusion: This study showed that conduction type hearing loss is seen more frequently in RA patients and bone conduction is affected at high frequencies in particular. Moreover, No significant differences were seen in stapes reflex, compliance and pressure measures between groups. J Clin Exp Invest 2016; 7 (1): 63-68

Keywords

• Rheumatoid arthritis,pure tone audiometer,hearing loss

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