Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic multisystem disease of unknown etiology is characterized by persistent inflammatory synovitis, usually involving peripheral joints in a symmetric distribution. RA is well known to affect many organ systems, including the auditory system and can involve the incudomalleolar and incudostapedial joints altering the ossicular mechanics in response to static air pressure modifications. Objective: This study evaluates the degree of sensorineural hearing loss in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Material and Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Physiology in collaboration with departments of Medicine and ENT Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak. 25 rheumatoid arthritis female patients with disease duration of more than five years as per 1987 criteria of American college of rheumatology were included in the study to study the effect of rheumatoid arthritis on hearing. 25 healthy volunteer females were included in control group. Audiological evaluation was based on pure tone audiometry. Results: We observed a high incidence of hearing loss in rheumatoid arthritis patients as compared to corresponding age and sex matched controls. Nine RA (36%) cases, were having hearing threshold more than 25 dB. Of the total of 36% patients having hearing loss 24% patients had sensorineural hearing loss. Bilateral hearing loss was seen in 8% of cases. Conclusion: Based on our study it can be postulated that patients with RA are at higher risk of hearing impairment. Key words: Rheumatoid arthritis, hearing, sensorineural, audiometry.