title: Auditory involvement in Behcet's disease: relationship with demographic, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics.
abstract: The study objective was to evaluate the occurrence of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in patients with Behcet's disease (BD), looking at potential correlations with specific demographic, clinical, and therapeutic features. Forty-four consecutive patients (15 males, 29 females) fulfilling the International Study Group (ISG) and/or the International Criteria for Behçet's Disease (ICBD) were enrolled. The endpoints of the study consisted in identifying a deflection of at least 25 dB on pure-tone audiometry and performing statistical analysis to evaluate demographic, clinical, or therapeutic differences between patients with and without SNHL. Our patients showed a mean age ± SD of 45.43 ± 14.05 years; a mean age at disease onset ± SD of 31.54 ± 15.53 years; a disease duration ± SD of 13.89 ± 9.15 years. SNHL was highlighted in 28 (63 %) patients representing the fourth most frequent clinical manifestation in our group of patients. Otologic involvement was significantly more frequent among subjects fulfilling ISG criteria than in patients fulfilling ICBD criteria (p = 0.04). Regarding correlations with BD manifestations, SNHL was significantly associated with cutaneous plus articular involvement (p = 0.013). Conversely, detached analysis of articular and skin manifestations led to no significant differences (p = 0.085 and p = 0.067). No further significant correlations were found between SNHL and BD clinical features or previous or concomitant treatments. Hearing loss was the fourth most common clinical feature in our patients and probably represents an underrated aspect of BD. Hearing impairment was significantly associated with cutaneous plus articular involvement, suggesting the importance of an otologic evaluation in such patients.
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases and Behçet's Disease Clinic, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Jurgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sota
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases and Behçet's Disease Clinic, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases and Behçet's Disease Clinic, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Orlando
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lopalco
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology and Neurosurgery Department, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Franceschini
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Humanitas Research Hospital, via Alessandro Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fabiani
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases and Behçet's Disease Clinic, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galeazzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Emmi
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases and Behçet's Disease Clinic, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gentileschi
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Florenzo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iannone
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases and Behçet's Disease Clinic, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Frediani
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases and Behçet's Disease Clinic, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. cantariniluca@hotmail.com.|Rheumatology Unit, Policlinico "Le Scotte", University of Siena, viale Bracci 1, 53100, Siena, Italy. cantariniluca@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cantarini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Behcet’s disease (BD); Clinical characteristics; International Study Group (ISG) criteria; Organ involvement; Sensorineural hearing loss