title: [Subclinical sensorineural hearing loss in female patients with rheumatoid arthritis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The rheumatoid arthritis is a clinical entity capable to cause hearing impairment that can be diagnosed promptly with high frequencies audiometry.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To detect subclinical sensorineural hearing loss in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study on patients with rheumatoid arthritis performing high frequency audiometry 125Hz to 16,000Hz and tympanometry. The results were correlated with markers of disease activity and response to therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High frequency audiometry was performed in 117 female patients aged from 19 to 65 years. Sensorineural hearing loss was observed at a sensitivity of pure tones from 125 to 8,000 Hz in 43.59%, a tone threshold of 10,000 to 16,000Hz in 94.02% patients in the right ear and in 95.73% in the left ear. Hearing was normal in 8 (6.84%) patients. Hearing loss was observed in 109 (93.16%), and was asymmetric in 36 (30.77%), symmetric in 73 (62.37%), bilateral in 107 (91.45%), unilateral in 2 (1.71%), and no conduction and/or mixed hearing loss was encountered. Eight (6.83%) patients presented vertigo, 24 (20.51%) tinnitus. Tympanogram type A presented in 88.90% in the right ear and 91.46% in the left ear, with 5.98 to 10.25% type As. Stapedius reflex was present in 75.3 to 85.2%. Speech discrimination in the left ear was significantly different (p = 0.02)in the group older than 50 years. No association was found regarding markers of disease activity, but there was an association with the onset of rheumatoid arthritis disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with rheumatoid arthritis had a high prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss for high and very high frequencies.
authors.affiliation: Centro Universitario de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello, Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. Electronic address: jose.trevinog@uanl.mx.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Treviño-González
authors.affiliation: Centro Universitario de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello, Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México.
authors.forename: Mario Jesús
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Villegas-González
authors.affiliation: Subdirección de Posgrado, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México.
authors.forename: Gerardo Enrique
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Maldonado
authors.affiliation: Subdirección de Posgrado, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México.
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Montero-Cantu
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional de Occidente. Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, México.
authors.forename: Arnulfo Hernán
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Nava-Zavala
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México.
authors.forename: Mario Alberto
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Garza-Elizondo
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006316:Hearing Loss, High-Frequency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013063:Speech Discrimination Tests; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000209:etiology; D014717:Vertigo / Q000209:etiology
keywords: Artritis reumatoide; Audiometría de altas frecuencias; High frequency audiometry; Hipoacusia neurosensorial; Rheumatoid arthritis; Sensorineural hearing loss