Abstract
Objective: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder that primarily affects spine and sacroiliac joints. Recent studies described audiovestibular impairment in AS patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hearing and function of cochlear system in patients with AS.
Method: We prospectively evaluated 37 AS patients and 20 healthy controls. Otorhinolaryngologic examinations were performed in all patients together with pure tone audiometry, speech tests, tympanometry, and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOE). Disease duration, Basdai scores, and hematolgic findings (CRP, Sedimentation) were also collected.
Results: Pure tone audiometry findings and of the patients and controls were significantly different in all frequencies (P > .05). No significant difference was found between DPOE responses of the patients and controls (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that there is an association between AS and hearing loss. But the cochlea is not the main source of hearing loss.
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