The Relationship between Vitiligo and Hearing Loss: A Case-Control Study

Background & Objective:  Vitiligo as an acquired disorder is caused by the gradual loss of functional melanocytes. Aiming to assess whether vitiligo is associated with hearing loss.  Materials & Methods:  A population based case-control study (case, n= ۵۰; control, n=۵۱). The case group included all vitiligo patients referred to public and private clinics in Semnan in March ۲۰۲۱ to October ۲۰۲۱. Then, for each case, one control was selected from the people who did not have any skin disease and had only visited the same center for cosmetic procedures. Audiometric tests including pure tone audiometry (PTA), speech discrimination score (SDS), speech reception threshold (SRT), acoustic reflex (AR) and tympanometry were performed for both case and control groups. Results:  The mean of age (±SD) was ۳۱.۳ (۸.۵) and ۳۳.۵ (۷.۹) in two groups. The numbers (%) of women were ۳۲ (۶۴%) and ۲۷ (۵۲.۹%); respectively. The result of AR test was normal in ۸۰% of the patients and ۹۲% of the control group; respectively. PTA test result was abnormal in ۱۸ and ۲% of cases and controls, respectively. SDS, SRT and Tympanometry Tests were normal in all people of the two groups under investigation. However, the odds of having an abnormal PTA test in vitiligo patients was ۱۰.۹۷ times that of healthy people (OR=۱۰.۹۷; ۹۵% CI: ۱.۳۹ – ۱۵.۳۸) (P=۰.۰۰۷). Conclusion:  A relationship was observed between vitiligo and hearing loss, so regular hearing checks are recommended in these patients.

کلیدواژه ها:

Vitiligo ، Hearing loss ، Melanocyte ، Case-control study