Clinical characteristics and prognosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Objective:To analyze the clinical features and prognosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss（SSNHL） with rheumatoid arthritis（RA）, and evaluate the effect of the course of RA on the hearing recovery. Methods:We collected the clinical data of 43 SSNHL patients（46 ears） with RA（RA group） who were hospitalized in our hospital, and compared their clinical characteristics and prognosis with 386 SSNHL patients（400 ears） without RA（non-RA group）. 43 SSNHL patients with RA were further grouped into <5 years group, 5-10 years group and >10 years group, and the hearing recovery was compared among three groups. Results:In the RA group, the initial pure tone average（PTA） of SSNHL and non-SSNHL ears were （64.53±12.77） dB HL and （31.28±8.53） dB HL, which were higher than those in the non-RA group（54.31±13.45） dB HL and（24.83±6.06） dB HL（P<0.05）. After treatment, in the RA group, posttreatment PTA of SSNHL and non-SSNHL ears were （48.26±13.49） dB HL and （27.93±10.22） dB HL, which were higher than those in the non-RA group （33.65±9.22） dB HL and （21.86±6.88） dB HL（P<0.05）, and the hearing gains of SSNHL ear and the rate of overall recovery were （16.27±6.01） dB HL and 52.17%, which were lower than those in the non-RA group （20.66±6.21） dB HL and 75.00%. No statistic difference was observed in the hearing gains of non-SSNHL ear between the two groups（P>0.05）. The hearing gains in the <5 years group, 5-10 years group and >10 years group were （20.77±8.63） dB HL, （17.00±6.81） dB HL and （11.94±5.73） dB HL, statistic differences were observed among the three groups（P=0.010）, but no statistic difference was observed in the rate of complete recovery, marked recovery, recovery and no recovery（P>0.05）. Conclusion:SSNHL patients with RA often suffers a severe hearing loss, and the hearing recovery is poor. The longer the course of RA, the worse the prognosis.