Sensorineural hearing loss in rheumatoid arthritis.

Hearing function was tested in 20 patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Audiological examination was performed by pure tone audiometry thresholds, tympanometry, a stapedial reflex threshold test and auditory brainstem responses (ABR). Hearing impairment was observed in 55% of patients. Conductive hearing loss and the absence of stapedius reflex were never recorded. Five patients with abnormal audiograms had normal ABR and normal stapedial reflex thresholds while 6 patients showed abnormalities in their audiograms, stapedial reflex thresholds test and ABR. Abnormal audiometric results associated with normal ABR are compatible with cochlea involvement, while abnormal audiometric results associated with an altered ABR and stapedial reflex test may be due to retrocochlear involvement. Sensorineural hearing loss appeared to significantly correlate with active disease and with the presence of rheumatoid factor.