Background: Ankylosing spondylitis is a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27-associated chronic, inflammatory rheumatic disease. The present study was conducted to assess audiologic profile in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Materials & Methods: The present study was conducted in the department of Otolaryngology. It comprised of 36 patients diagnosed of ankylosing spondylitis of both genders (Group I). Equal number of healthy subjects was taken as controls (Group II). In all patients careful otolaryngo­logic evaluation was done and administered to a standard audiologic assessment. Patients were subjected toBath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI) and the Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI). Results: Out of 36 patients, males were 20 and females were 16. 36 patients with hearing loss were in group I and 36 subjects without hearing loss in group II. The mean hearing thresholds were significantly higher in group I at 3 kHz (p = 0.005), 4 kHz (p < 0.001), 6 kHz (p < 0.001), and 8 kHz (p< 0.05) as compared to group II. The mean BASDAI score in group I was 4.92 and in group II was 4.54. Mean BASFI score was 6.14 and I group II was 5.76. The difference was non- significant (P> 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with Ankylosing spondylitis have a greater prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss but that it was not correlated with either disease activity or functional status.
Key words: Audiologic, Ankylosing spondylitis, Hearing.

Received: 15 February, 2019                                     Revised:  26 May 2019                             Accepted: 28 May 2019

Corresponding author: Dr. Priyanka, Medical Officer (Specialist), Civil Hospital, Bathinda, Punjab, India.
                                                                                 
This article may be cited as: Priyanka, Singla P. Assessment of audiologic profile in patients with ankylosing spondylitis- A clinical study. Int J Res Health Allied Sci 2019; 5(3):59-62.