RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 How significant is sensorineural hearing loss in primary Sjögren's syndrome? An individually matched case-control study. JF The Journal of Rheumatology JO J Rheumatol FD The Journal of Rheumatology SP 798 OP 801 VO 28 IS 4 A1 K A Boki A1 J P Ioannidis A1 J V Segas A1 P V Maragkoudakis A1 D Petrou A1 G K Adamopoulos A1 H M Moutsopoulos YR 2001 UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/28/4/798.abstract AB OBJECTIVE: We evaluated whether sensorineural loss and vestibular abnormalities are common in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and whether such abnormalities are clinically significant. METHODS: In an individually matched case-control design, 48 patients with pSS underwent complete audiovestibular evaluation along with 48 age and sex matched individuals without otologic problems. Differences of > 20 dB between patient and control ears at any frequency tested were considered to be significant. RESULTS: Significant differences in hearing loss were seen at 4,000 Hz (6 vs 0 ears; p = 0.03) and at 8,000 Hz (9 vs 0 ears; p = 0.003). Small differences in hearing acuity were also observed in the lower frequencies, but the absolute mean difference was < 3 dB. A decrease of at least 60 dB in hearing acuity at any frequency up to 4,000 Hz was seen only in 3 elderly pSS patients. Abnormal brainstem auditory evoked responses were recorded in 7 patients and 5 controls, but no patient had retrocochlear lesions identified on magnetic resonance imaging. Four patients in each group had abnormalities on electronystagmography. CONCLUSION: pSS is associated with sensorineural hearing loss affecting preferentially the high frequencies, but clinically significant defects are not common. There is no evidence of retrocochlear disease or increased vestibular involvement in pSS.