2Department of otolaryngology, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakır, Turkey
3Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep, Turkey
Abstract
Objective[|]The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of hearing loss in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to analyze whether the rates of hearing loss were different from the control group or not.[¤]Materials and Methods[|]A total of 50 AS patients and 34 healthy controls were enrolled into the study. Physical examinations and disease activity score measurements were performed in patients with AS.[¤]Results[|]The mean age was 32.20 years (18-55) in AS patients and 35.58 (20-50) in the control group. The mean disease duration was 5.27 years (0-22) in patients with AS. Hearing loss was detected in seven (14%) of the AS patients and three (8.8%) of the control patients. In terms of hearing loss, a statistically significant difference was not found between the two groups. Sensorineural hearing loss was the most commonly detected type of hearing loss in the two groups. Hearing loss was present in two (28.5%) of the seven AS patients in whom the duration of disease was more than 10 years. There was no statistically significant correlation between the duration of disease and hearing loss.[¤]Conclusion[|]There was no significant difference between the AS and control groups with respect to hearing loss. The rate of hearing loss increased in line with the duration of disease.[¤]