title: Cochlear functions in children with familial Mediterranean fever: any role of the severity of the disease?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to compare the cochlear functions of children diagnosed with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) with healthy controls and to determine their cochlear functions according to their disease severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-three children with FMF and 30 healthy controls were included in the study. All the patients and controls were evaluated by audiologic evaluation, including high-frequency pure-tone audiometry and distortion product otoacoustic emission tests (DPOAE). The disease severity was evaluated by scoring systems adapted from those used by Pras et al. and with severity scoring systems from the Sheba Medical Center.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High-frequency pure-tone audiometry and DPOAE levels were normal in both patients and controls. Significant differences in the hearing levels of FMF patients were not found, according to both adapted severity scoring systems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cochlear functions in children with FMF had been evaluated by previous studies, but in our study we evaluated hearing functions according to both controls and disease severity. As a unique study comparing cochlear functions according to severity scores, no significant differences were shown between the groups and controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Rheumatolgy Clinic, İstanbul Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Educational and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: keskindemirci@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Gonca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Keskindemirci
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Rheumatolgy Clinic, İstanbul Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Educational and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: nurayaktay@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nuray Aktay
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Ayaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolarngology, İstanbul Education and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: batioglu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ayşegül
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Batıoğlu-Karaaltın
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolarngology, İstanbul Education and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: drzehradonmez@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Zehra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dönmez
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolarngology, İstanbul Education and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: dryigit@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Özgür
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Yiğit
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Rheumatolgy Clinic, İstanbul Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Educational and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: gonul.aydogan@mynet.com.
authors.forename: Gönül
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aydoğan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Rheumatolgy Clinic, Hacettepe Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: sezaozen@hacettepe.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Seza
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Özen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003051:Cochlea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: Cochlear function; Disease severity scoring; Familial Mediterranean fever