Background and aim
Association of vitiligo with ocular and auditory abnormalities and other autoimmune
disorders suggests its systemic autoimmune origin. Therefore, this study was
carried out in an attempt to evaluate the effect of melanin deficiency in patients
with vitiligo, as regards the extent and duration of the disease on the auditory
pathway and to study the associated other ocular and systemic abnormalities in
them.
Patients and methods
Forty patients with vitiligo and 20 normal volunteers were examined. Audiological
evaluation including pure-tone audiometry, extended high-frequency audiometry,
transient evoked otoacoustic emissions, and auditory brainstem response was
carried out. Ophthalmic evaluation including visual acuity, intraocular tension, and
fundus examination was carried out. Laboratory investigations including
hemoglobin level, random blood sugar, liver, kidney, and thyroid function tests,
and autoimmune testing (antistreptolysin O titer, erythrocyte sedimentation rate,
rheumatoid factor, and antinuclear antibodies) were carried out.
Results
Sensorineural hearing loss was found in 15 (37.5%) patients; 10 (66.67%) of them
had bilateral hearing loss and at high frequencies (2–8 kHz) sensorineural hearing
loss. Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions were absent or decreased in 67.5%.
There were no statistically significant differences in all auditory brainstem
response parameters in vitiligo patients compared with the control group. Onefourth
(25%) of them had decreased visual acuity, 22.5% had anemia, 12.5% had
thyroid dysfunction, 10% had raised random blood sugar, 2.5% had raised liver
enzymes, 32.5% had raised rheumatoid factor, 20% had raised antinuclear
antibody, and 15% had raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate.