Audiological abnormalities in patients with vitiligo

Background. Accumulating evidence suggests that vitiligo is a systemic disease affecting the entire pigmentary system. Aim. To investigate the subclinical abnormalities of melanin-containing cellular elements of the auditory system in patients with vitiligo. Methods. We studied the conventional audiometric investigations and brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAERs) of 57 active patients with vitiligo and 50 healthy human subjects. The I, III and V latencies, and I-III, III-V and I-V interpeak latencies (IPL) between the groups were compared. Results. A mild degree of sensorineural hypoacusis was found in eight patients with vitiligo (14%), whereas no controls demonstrated abnormal audiological results (P = 0.006). A statistically significant increase in both ears of the third peak latency (P = 0.02, P = 0.01, respectively) and IPL I-III (P = 0.04, P = 0.008, respectively), and a significant increase of the fifth peak latency in the right ear (P = 0.04) were found, compared with controls, but no differences were found for other latencies and IPLs. Conclusions. Melanin may play a significant role in the establishment and/or maintenance of the structure and function of the auditory system and may modulate the transduction of the auditory stimuli by the inner ear.