Is routine hearing screening necessary in patients with inflammatory bowel disease - a prospective study

Purpose: To compare audiological profiling and association of hearing loss in different types of IBD and evaluate the degree of hearing impairment based on duration of illness and age parameters. Methods: 120 subjects evaluated at a tertiary centre were divided into 2 groups- Controls and Cases. Cases were sub grouped into Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease based on biopsy. Hearing evaluation was done using PTA and DPOAE. Results were compared between the groups with analysis including duration of illness and age at presentation. Results: Mild hearing loss at 8000 Hz was noted in both the subgroups, more so in UC. The median dB loss on PTA was more in the UC group at all the frequencies but was significant only at 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 Hz. 53(44.1%) of the 120 ears, showed mild hearing loss at 8000 Hz on PTA. The median SNR was lower in both subgroups at 8000 Hz. At 8000 Hz on DPOAE, 80 ears (66.6%) showed absent response which was much higher as compared to PTA findings at this frequency. At 8000 Hz, patients with > 5 years duration of illness and those with age > 30 years, showed higher absent DPOAE responses namely 25 ears (83.4%) out of 30 ears and 56 ears (80%) of 70, respectively. Conclusion: UC cases are more susceptible to hearing loss compared to Crohn’s disease especially at 8000 Hz. DPOAE supersedes PTA as a diagnostic tool for subclinical hearing loss.