Audiovestibular evaluation on multiple sclerosis patients

This study was conducted to evaluate the cognitive functions of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) by considering their auditory and vestibular functions. The study was performed on the MS diagnosed patients consulted to Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology between May and November 2018. A face-to-face interview was provided with the patients attending the interview. The sample group of the study, which was in the prospective case-control type consisted of individuals who had no problems in hearing and balance, while the experimental group consisted of individuals diagnosed with MS who had not had an attack for the last two months, over the age of 18, under the age of 60, and with similar characteristics in terms of the gender. A total of 30 patients, 15 of whom were healthy and 15 of whom were diseased, were recruited. The audiological and vestibular tests on the experimental and patient groups were applied separately to the right and left ear and the data obtained from these two groups were compared. Impedance audiometry test was performed to patients simultaneously and middle ear pressure and stapes reflex thresholds were checked. Vestibular tests were applied to determine the pathologies between the patients' visual and deep sensory systems and the connections between them, if any, and whether these pathologies were peripheral or central.Beck Depression Scale was administered to both the control group and the patient group and patient form was filled. The mean age of the patient group was 38.80 ± 9.14. The majority of the patients had Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis and Relapsing Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (40% RPMS, 40% RRMS). In this study, it was determined that the hearing thresholds of MS patients were affected at high frequencies and latency delay was observed in cortical potentials in some patients. In some patients, vestibule-ocular reflexes were decreased in the lateral channels. The data obtained from the tests applied to the patient and control groups were subjected to SPSS analysis and the results were discussed. Whether the disease was related to age and gender was also discussed with the results of the analysis. It has also been shown that cognitive function was impaired in MS patients. Significant results were not obtained when the rate was 20 and 70 in the "Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)" test as a result of the data obtained. Significance was observed between the ears after vestibular tests. Most of the patients who had pure tone audiometry test were determined having hearing loss. It was observed that the study group was similar with the control group in terms of age, gender and marital status. MS patients had more introverted and depressive and the control group had less depressive symptoms. Different scales of depression were detected after the scales applied to the patient group.