Evaluation of Hearing and Outer Hair Cell Function of Cochlea in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate hearing and outer cells function in patients with psoriatic arthritis. Our investigation was a prospective case control study.


METHODS
A total of 31 psoriatic arthritis patients (62 ears) and 31 healthy control subjects (62 ears) were enrolled in the study. We investigated hearing changes of patients and controls via pure tone audiometry, speech discrimination scores, tympanometry, acoustic reflex, and transient product otoacoustic emission.


RESULTS
The mean age of psoriatic arthritis patients was 36.1±8.5 years (range, 14 to 62 years). The average age of the control group was 37.9±8.1 years (range, 16 to 62 years). There were statistically significant differences between pure tone audiometry in all frequencies and right and left emission at the 4.0 and 1.0 in psoriatic arthritis patients versus controls (P<0.05). This difference was evident, especially at high frequencies. There was no statistically significant difference between the ages and genders of the patient and control groups (P>0.05). Both audiological and otoacoustic emissions were not significantly different between right and left ear (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the audiological and otoacoustic findings; it is likely that the cochlear outer hair cells become subtly damaged in psoriatic arthritis patients, consequently leading to changes in hearing thresholds. These data suggest that it is important to screen psoriatic arthritis patients for hearing changes with otoacoustic emissions and audiologic tests regularly.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Mehmet
M
Akdag
Department of Dermatology, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Derya
D
Uçmak
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Fazıl Emre
FE
Özkurt
Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Mehtap
M
Bozkurt
Department of Dermatology, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Zeynep Meltem
ZM
Akkurt
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
İsmail
İ
Topçu
Acoustic Impedance Tests; Arthritis, Psoriatic; Audiometry, Pure Tone; Hearing; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous