Effect of vitiligo on hearing – A clinical scenario

BACKGROUND: Melanocytes present in epidermis, mucous membranes, and other tissues are reduced in vitiligo, which is a chronic multifactorial illness with a complex pathophysiology. The first person to mention the existence of pigment cells in the cochlea in the inner ear was Alphonse Corti in 1831. Melanocytes are particularly prevalent in places with apparent significant secretory or metabolic function, such as Reissner's membrane, the vascular stria, and other highly vascularized areas. Only a few studies have examined the assessment of hearing in vitiligo patients, and a number of anomalies have been noted. In this regard, the goal of the current study is to use pure tone audiometry (PTA) to further demonstrate the auditory involvement in vitiligo patients. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to assess the prevalence of auditory involvement in patients with vitiligo. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: It was a one-year observational study. The study included a total of 71 vitiligo patients between the age group of 18–60 years. Each patient underwent PTA, ENT examination, and dermatological evaluation. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects in this study was 34 years, with a male predominance. When the correlation between hearing loss and vitiligo was evaluated and the left and right ears were compared, there was statistically no significant hearing loss in either ear. A mean value was calculated after taking into account the duration of vitiligo and the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index with that of hearing loss individually; however, it revealed no association between the two. CONCLUSION: Based on the study results, we can conclude that there is a need for ongoing assessment of hearing status in patients with vitiligo.