Audiological Findings in Acromegaly Patients

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate otologic problems in patients with acromegaly. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was performed on 26 patients with acromegaly and 27 age-matched healthy controls. Otoscopic examination, pure tone odiometry, tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions, and stapes reflex were performed in all cases. Hearing thresholds of air and bone conduction (AC and BC), middle ear function, cochlear function, tympanic membrane compliance, gradient, peak pressure, and external ear canal volume were researched in patients with acromegaly. Results: The hearing thresholds for all frequencies except Right-AC 4000 frequencies were found to be significantly higher in patients with acromegaly as compared to the control group (p<0.05). Also significant correlation coefficients were calculated among disease duration, hearing thresholds, and tympanometric variables (p<0.05). There was a significant difference in tympanometry results between the two groups in regard to external ear canal volumes of the right and left ears (p <= 0.05). No differences were observed between the two groups in their type of tympanometry, stapes reflex, and otoacoustic emissions (OAE) (p>0.05). Conclusions: We have determined that patients with acromegaly have lower levels of hearing in both bone and air conduction compared with the normal population. This may be ascribed to deformation of hearing physiology related to hypertrophy in the temporal bone.