Research Information System
Journal of International Advanced Otology, vol.6, no.2, pp.239-244, 2010 (SCI-Expanded)
Objective: Psoriasis is a chronic, papulo-squamous skin disease characterized by circumscribed, erythematous, scaling, thickened plaques. The primary cause of psoriasis is unknown; however recent genetic and immunological researches have increased understanding of the pathogenesis of psoriasis as a chronic, immune mediated, inflammatory disorder. Some research groups have implicated CD8+ T cells as predominant in psoriatic epidermis and find that reduction in this subset during treatment of psoriasis correlates most closely with disease resolution. Many studies have been published about hearing in autoimmune diseases, however studies about hearing loss in psoriasis have been very limited. The aim of this study was to investigate cochlear functions and hearing evaluation in patients with psoriasis. Study design: Prospective, case control study Materials and Methods: Pure-tone audiometry at 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, 6,000 Hz and immittance measures including tympanometry and acoustic reflex and DPOAE (Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission) testing were performed in the patients and controls. Totally, 42 psoriasis patients (84 ears) and 60 healthy control subjects (120 ears) were included in the study. Result: Mean age of patients with psoriasis was 36.1 years (range 13-71 years) and control group was 38.8 years (range 11-69 years). There was no statistically significant difference between the pure-tone thresholds and levels of noise floor, DPOAE responses and signal noise ratio of the patients and controls in all frequencies (P > 0.05). Conclusion: In our study, based on the DPOAE and audiological findings, we did not find any damage of outer hair cells of cochlea and hearing loss in patients with psoriasis. Copyright 2005 © The Mediterranean Society of Otology and Audiology.