Results for audiology and distortion product and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
The aim of the current study was to investigate hearing loss and cochlear function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, using audiology, distortion product otoacoustic emissions and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions.


METHODS
Prospective, case-control study.


METHODS
The study included 26 randomised patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (52 ears) and 30 healthy control subjects (60 ears). Pure tone audiometry was performed at 250 and 500 Hz and at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 kHz. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions were measured using Biologic System equipment with Scout Acoustic Emissions System software.


RESULTS
The distortion product otoacoustic emission signal responses were significantly different only at 750 Hz, while the distortion product otoacoustic emission signal-noise ratios were significantly different at 750 Hz and 6 kHz (p < 0.05), comparing patients and controls. The transient evoked otoacoustic emission signal-noise ratios were significantly different at 2 and 3 kHz, comparing patients and controls (p < 0.05). The transient evoked otoacoustic emission total signal-noise ratios were significantly different, comparing patients and controls (p < 0.05). In addition, the pure tone audiometry thresholds were significantly different at 250 and 500 Hz and at 1, 2, 10 and 12 kHz, comparing patients and controls (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings do not completely agree with those of previous temporal bone histopathological studies. However, our results do support a general picture of low frequency hearing loss in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. We consider these results to be related to endolymphatic and cochlear hydrops, and we suggest that electrocochleography could be performed in further studies for clarification of this subject.
Otolaryngology Department, Ankara Keciören Research and Training Hospital, Turkey.
H
H
Karabulut
M
M
Dagli
A
A
Ates
Y
Y
Karaaslan
D000328:Adult; D001300:Audiometry, Evoked Response; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult