title: Audiological manifestations of allergic rhinitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic rhinitis is associated with excess specific immunoglobulin E. Inner ear involvement (via both cellular and humoral immunity) is poorly understood, but appears to arise from the endolymphatic sac and duct.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the otological and audiological status of patients with allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty allergic rhinitis patients (14 men, 16 women; age 17-45 years, mean 31 years) and 20 controls (12 men, eight women; age 21-42 years, mean 27 years) underwent audiological investigation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All study group patients had sensorineural (rather than conductive) hearing loss, worse at high frequencies. All had abnormal transient evoked otoacoustic emissions and 27 had abnormal distortion product otoacoustic emissions. All had a statistically significantly prolonged wave I latency, and shortened absolute wave I-III and I-V interpeak latencies, compared with controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Allergic rhinitis patients had a higher prevalence of hearing loss and otoacoustic emission abnormalities than controls. The endolymphatic sac can process antigens and produce its own local antibody response; the resulting inflammatory mediators and toxic products may interfere with hair cell function. Additional research is needed to determine the clinical value of audiometry and otoacoustic emission testing in allergic rhinitis.
authors: Department of Speech and Language Pathology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors: Satbir
authors: S
authors: Singh
authors: Anu N
authors: AN
authors: Nagarkar
authors: Sandeep
authors: S
authors: Bansal
authors: Dharm
authors: D
authors: Vir
authors: Ashok K
authors: AK
authors: Gupta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000276:immunology; D004566:Electrodes; D004712:Endolymphatic Sac / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes