Hyperuricemia is suggested as risk of sensorineural hearing loss.
This study aimed to evaluate cochlear function in group of patients with
hyperuricemia. We studied the auditory function in 25 patients with
primary hyperuricemia using pure-tone audiometry and transient
evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAEs) analysis. We hypothesized that
vascular compromise, is in part, could be responsible; hence carotid
dopplex ultrasongraphy was done to assess the common carotid artery
intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT), an early marker for atherosclerosis
and transcranfal doppler ultrasonography (TCD) was also done to the
basal intracranial vessels. Compared to control subjects, the mean
hearing threshold and pure tone audiometer), were within normal agedependent
ranges. Patients reported significant reduction in the amplitude
of TEOAEs at 4 kHz (P<0.01). Significant correlation was identified
between TEOAE and uric acid level, patients' age, duration of illness,
CCA-IMT, MFVs of the middle cerebral arteries and vertebral arteries.
These data imply that TEOAEs is a useful method for detection of subclinical
cochlear compromise in patients with hyperuricemia. It is possible
that hyperuricemia could be accompanied by increased stiffness
and/or compromise the blood supply of the outer hair cells, which will
impair their electromotile response. The human data should be supplemented
with animal data. |
