Auditory and Vestibular Findings in Patients with Vitiligo: A Case – Control Study

Hamad Salih, Asma Saad; Nada, Ebtesam Hamed; Ibrahim, Al Shimaa; Elnabtity, Nadia

doi:10.21608/zumj.2023.189481.2732

Auditory and Vestibular Findings in Patients with Vitiligo: A Case – Control Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Audio-Vestibular Medical Unit, ENT Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Sharkia, Egypt

² Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine – Zagazig University, Sharkia, Egypt

10.21608/zumj.2023.189481.2732

Abstract

Background: Melanocytes disappearing from the skin as a result of a mechanism that is still unknown is the defining feature of vitiligo. Because vitiligo targets melanocytes throughout the body, not only those in the skin, the existence of melanocytes in the auditory and vestibular systems raises the possibility that these systems to be affected. There are some discrepancies in the research regarding how vitiligo affects hearing and vestibular systems. Accordingly, this study was conducted to evaluate audiological and vestibular involvement in vitiligo patients. Subjects and methods: A case-control study with 19 vitiligo patients and 19 healthy controls was conducted. Basic audiological and vestibular examination were performed on all patients and healthy controls including videonystagmography (VNG), cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP), and ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP). Results: There was a statistically significant difference were found in pure tone audiogram thresholds at 2,4, 8 KHz frequencies, caloric test, cVEMP and oVEMP parameters, between the vitiligo and the control groups. Conclusion: The study concluded that 78.9% of individuals with vitiligo experienced peripheral and/or central vestibular abnormalities, along with/without auditory impairment.

Keywords

Main Subjects