The aim of this study was to investigate cochlear functions in patients with ankylosing spondilitis (AS). Prospective, case control study. Twenty-eight AS patients (56 ears) and 25 healthy control subjects (50 ears) were included in the study. Pure-tone audiometry at 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, 6,000 Hz and immittance measures including tympanometry and acoustic reflex and DPOAEs (Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission) testing were performed in the patients and controls. Pure-tone audiometry findings of the patients and controls were significantly different in all frequencies (P < 0.05). Sensorineural hearing loss was found in 10 patients (35%) that was bilateral in seven and unilateral in three patients. On DPOAE testing, there was no statistically significant difference between the levels of noise floor of the patients and controls (P > 0.05). However, the DPOAE responses of the patients and controls were significantly different in 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 and 6,000 Hz frequencies (P < 0.05). There is a damage of outer hair cells in patients with AS, and damaged outer hair cell regions mostly corresponds to the basal and mid-portions of the cochlea.

Our findings suggest a decreased hearing level in ankylosing spondylitis patients, mostly at high frequencies, although the pure tone thresholds of patients and controls significantly differed at all frequencies.

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of mutated allele CYP2D6*4 in the Turkish ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and healthy controls. Hundred unrelated AS patients who were diagnosed and treated in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic of Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital and 52 healthy control subjects were included in the study. The wild-type allele of CYP2D6 and the mutated allele CYP2D6*4 were detected by polymerase chain reaction and a subsequent hybridization reaction. CYP2D6*4 allele was not detected in 72 subjects (72%) of the AS patients. Among the remaining 28 patients, 7 (7%) were carriers of two *4 alleles, being homozygous for CYP2D6. Twenty-one patients (21%) were carriers of one *4 allele, being heterozygous for CYP2D6*4. Among the healthy control subjects (n = 52), 23% were heterozygous and 2% were homozygous for CYP2D6*4 polymorphism. The frequency of the CYP2D6*4 allele was 0.175 in the AS patients (100 patients; 200 alleles). The frequency of the CYP2D6*4 allele was 0.134 in control group (52 control subjects; 104 alleles). The odds ratios for development of the AS for the presence of one or two CYP2D6*4 alleles with no CYP2D6*4 alleles as baseline were calculated. No significant risk of AS development was observed for individuals with one or two CYP2D6*4 alleles. Findings of this study showed no significant association between CYP2D6*4 allele and AS in our population. Further studies with larger scaled groups should be performed.

Aims: To investigate depression, anxiety and quality of life among chronic low back-leg pain patients with or without neuropathic pain.