Evaluations of audiovestibular manifestations in patients with psoriasis

Sensorineural hearing loss may occur as a complication of autoimmune and inflammatuar diseases. Although psoriasis is a common, little is known about audiologic impairment and no investigations have been done about vestibular disfunctions in this condition. We aimed to examine whether audiovestibular manifestations were present in patients with psoriasis. Sixty-one psoriasis patients and control group composed of sixty-one individuals were included in the study. During the period of recruitment, individuals were excluded who had history of any etiological factors. All participants underwent a complete ear, nose and throat examination before audiological assessment followed by, pure-tone audiometry in a sound-isolated audiology laboratory. Electronystagmography were performed to thirty-one psoriasis patients and thirty-one control subjects whom accepted to participate in vestibular evaluations. The psoriasis activity was evaluated by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASİ), body surface area (BSA) and investigator's global assessment (IGA). Statistical analysis was performed using PASW 20 (SPSS/IBM, Chicago, IL, USA). A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Values of audiometric tests (pure-tone average, speech reception threshold, speech discrimination) yielded significant differences between patients and controls. The audiogram disclosed a bilateral and symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in psoriasis with predominant pattern of high frequency SNHL in patients with psoriasis compared to controls. Patients with psoriasis exhibited abnormal vestibular tests more commonly than controls, values of saccadic test yielded significant differences. Our current study is the first report in which vestibular impairment was investigated in psoriasis patients, and demonstrates strong evidence for inner ear damage in patients with psoriasis.