Cochleovestibular Dysfunction in Ankylosing Spondylitis

Abstract

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a rheumatic disease characterized by chronic inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the functions of the cochlea and the vestibular system in patients with AS. The study group consisted of 32 patients with AS and 30 healthy volunteers as a control group. Otorhinolaryngologic examinations were performed in all patients together with pure-tone audiometry, speech tests, impedancemetry, transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) and electronystagmography (ENG). A significant difference was found between the 2 groups with regard to pure-tone averages at high frequencies in each ear (p < 0.05). The rates of reproducibility in TEOAE testing were significantly lower in patients with AS (p = 0.03). The signal-to-noise rates of the response values were lower at all frequencies in patients with AS, but a statistically significant difference was only observed at 2, 3 and 4 Hz (p < 0.05). ENG revealed pathologies in 11 patients with AS (34%), 8 of which were central (25%) and 3 of which were peripheral (9%). No correlation was found between cochleovestibular dysfunction and age, sex, disease duration, activity and medication taken. This study demonstrated that there is an association between AS and cochleovestibular dysfunction.

Hearing and cochlear function of patients with ankylosing spondylitis

“…As expected, age of the patients had correlation with hearing levels. Hearing loss in AS patients was revealed by recent studies [4][5][6][7]. Sensorineural nature of hearing loss is well documented, so there were only few discussions about the type of hearing loss [12,13], but the exact cause of underlying pathology of SNHL is still unknown.…”

“…Recent studies revealed that sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is also one of the manifestations of this disease [4][5][6], but the cause of SNHL is unknown. Otoacoustic emission (OAE) findings of AS patients were reported significantly different than those of controls, especially in high frequencies, and suggested that damage of outer hair cells in AS patients causes SNHL [7,8]. The aim of this study was to investigate the hearing status and cochlear functions of AS patients and find out any correlation between hearing status and disease activity.…”

Audiovestibular Manifestations in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis - A Case Report and Review of the Literature

“…Alatas et al [4] observed SNHL both at low and high frequencies in patients with AS. Erbek et al [8] found statistically significant difference at high frequencies in 32 patients with AS.…”

“…Alatas et al [4] , did not find any statistically significant difference in the ABR results between patients and the control group. Erbek et al [8] found that the rates of reproducibility in transient evoked otoacoustic emission testing (TEOAE) were significantly lower in patients with AS than those in controls. Daglı et al [7] determined the same result with distortion product otoacoustic emission testing (DPOAE).…”

“…In the study by Amor-Dorado et al [5] , the incidence of abnormal results in vestibular tests was high. Erbek et al [8] determined vestibular pathology in 34% of the patients and statistically significant abnormal results in caloric tests.…”