title: Is preeclampsia a new risk factor for cochlear damage and hearing loss?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether preeclampsia is a risk factor for cochlear damage and permanent hearing loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective case-control study design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic tertiary medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects included 40 patients with preeclampsia and 30 healthy pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Otoscopic examinations and pure-tone audiometry, tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions (OAEs), and stapedial reflex tests were conducted for all subjects. Negative audiologic tests were reevaluated after the postpartum period. Statistical analyses were performed using χ and binary logistic regression testing.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched for signs of middle ear ventilation, damage of cochlea, and sensorineural hearing loss.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight patients from the preeclampsia group had 1 or more otological problems. Two patients from the control group were determined as having otological problems. Otoacoustic emissions of the right and left ears (p = 0.029, p = 0.044), hearing levels of right and left ear bone conduction (BC) at the 500-Hz frequency (right and left-BC 500), and left ear at the 2,000-Hz frequency (left-BC 2000) differed significantly between the preeclampsia and control groups (p = 0.040, p = 0.003, and p = 0.003). There was no significant difference in the OAEs between the right and left ears in the preeclampsia group (p < 0.05). The variables BC 500-left, BC 500-right, OAE-right, and OAE-left differed significantly between groups based on binary logistic testing. The odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for these 4 risk variables were as follows: BC 500-left, 1.167 (1.044-1.306); BC 500-right, 1.117 (1.002-1.244); OAE-right, 0.642 (0.505-0.815); and OAE-left, 0.576 (0.475-0.698), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preeclampsia is a risk factor for cochlear damage and permanent hearing loss. Even if preeclampsia resolves after delivery, cochlear damage and permanent hearing loss remain unchanged in patients with preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey. muzeyyenyldrm@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Muzeyyen Yildirim
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Baylan
authors.forename: Umur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kuyumcuoglu
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kale
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Topcu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; D038781:Otoscopy; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors