Evaluation of hearing functions in patients with hashimoto thyroiditis

Objective: Hashimoto's thyroiditis is defined as an autoimmune disease. It is a chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland. Although the etiology is still unknown, T-cell infiltration and the generation of auto-antibodies against the thyroid gland are characterized by hypothyroidism, euthyroidism, or less frequently hyperthyroidism. The aim of our study was to evaluate the auditory functions of Hashimoto thyroiditis patients who is taking medicine and is not taking medicine. Materials And Methods: The study included 77 participants; 30 of them are taking medicine, 19 of them are not taking medicine and 29 healthy people Acoustic timponometry, pure tone audiometry, high frequency audiometry, transient evoked otoacoustic emission measurements were performed to the participants. Results: The average age of Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients who are taking medicine were 48.33 ± 11.08 years. The average age of patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis were 41,78 ± 11,57 years and this difference was not statistically significant (p= 0.06).The average age of patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis were 45,88±11,60 years. The average age of the healthy control group was 34,10 ± 11,92 years andthis difference was statistically significant (p = 0.00).A statistically significant differences were found at the frequencies of 125 Hz, 250 Hz, 500 Hz and 1000 Hz between the Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients who are taking the medicine and the Hashimoto thyroiditis patients who are not using the medicine. There was no statistically significant difference between Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients who are using medicine and Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients who are not using medicine in the frequency range of 8 kHz - 18 kHz for the right and left ear. However, when the Hashimoto's thyroiditis patient group and healthy group were compared for the right and left ear, a statistically significant difference was found in the frequency range of 8 kHz to 18 kHz. There was no statistically significant difference between Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients who are taking medicine and Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients who are not taking medicine in transient evoked autoacoustic emission (TEOAE) at 1 kHz, 1.43 kHz, 2 kHz, 2.83 kHz and 4 kHz. Conclusion: Our results show that there is presence of auditory dysfunction in Hashimoto thyroiditis patients. Therefore, the audiological evaluation of patients should be done when Hashimoto thyroiditis is diagnosed. Especially, high-frequency audiometry should be included in routine hearing tests, not as an additional option in the clinical setting in addition to pure tone audiometry because of the significant decrease in high frequencies. Patients should be informed about possible otologic involvement in endocrine and metabolism clinics. Key Words: Hahsimoto Thyroiditis, Audiometry, Tympanometry, Transient Evoked Autoaciditis (TEOAE)