Audiological abnormalities in patients with vitiligo.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests that vitiligo is a systemic disease affecting the entire pigmentary system.

AIM: To investigate the subclinical abnormalities of melanin-containing cellular elements of the auditory system in patients with vitiligo.

METHODS: We studied the conventional audiometric investigations and brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAERs) of 57 active patients with vitiligo and 50 healthy human subjects. The I, III and V latencies, and I-III, III-V and I-V interpeak latencies (IPL) between the groups were compared.

RESULTS: A mild degree of sensorineural hypoacusis was found in eight patients with vitiligo (14%), whereas no controls demonstrated abnormal audiological results (P =0.006). A statistically significant increase in both ears of the third peak latency (P =0.02, P = 0.01, respectively) and IPL I-III (P = 0.04, P = 0.008, respectively), and a significant increase of the fifth peak latency in the right ear (P = 0.04) were found, compared with controls, but no differences were found for other latencies and IPLs.

CONCLUSIONS: Melanin may play a significant role in the establishment and/or maintenance of the structure and function of the auditory system and may modulate the transduction of the auditory stimuli by the inner ear.