Behcet's disease and hearing loss

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and severity of hearing loss in different frequencies in Behcet's patients in a Turkish population. Material and method: Sixty-three consecutive cases with Behcet's syndrome and 63 sex- and age-matched healty subjects as control group were included in this study. A detailed history was taken, all patients underwent neuro-otolological, ophthalmologic and dermatologic examination. Audiometric pure-tone thresholds at 125-8000 Hz were obtained in all subjects in both groups. The results of the two groups were statistically evaluated by Chi-square, Student's-t and McNemar tests. Results: In 35 patients (55%), a hearing loss equal or more than 30 dB hearing level was detected. 24 of 35 patients (68%) showed hearing loss in the higher frequencies (6 and 8 kHz). 12 of 35 patients (34%) showed hearing loss in speech frequencies (500-2000 Hz). No relationship could be found between hearing loss and other system involvements in Behcet's group. Also there was no correlation between hearing loss and duration of the disease, but the mean age of Behcet's patients with hearing loss was found to be significantly higher than the mean age of the patients without hearing loss. Conclusion: We suggest that presence of hearing loss in Behcet's disease is prevalent and represents a fourth clinical symptom after oral, genital ulcers and skin lesions and especially there is a statistically significant hearing loss at high frequencies when compared with the speech frequencies. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.