Objectives/aims: Rosacea is not only a skin condition but a systemic inflammatory disease that includes chronic inflammation, vascular alterations, and autoimmunity in pathogenesis. We aimed to evaluate the presence of a sensorineural hearing loss in the patients with rosacea in comparison with the healthy control group and, also to compare the audiometric results according to the severity of disease among the patient group.
Methods: Fifty-three patients with erythematelangiectatic or papulopustular type of rosacea and 105 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included. Each participant had audiometric measurements after a complete ear-nose-throat examination by the same otorhinolaryngologist.
Results: The results of air and bone conduction thresholds showed statistically significant differences in particularly high frequencies between the groups in both the right and left ear (for all p < 0.05), but there was no correlation between audiometric measurements and the severity or the type of rosacea (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: Regardless of disease severity or type, rosacea patients are likely to have sensorineural hearing loss, and it is important to refer these patients in the early period.
Keywords: audiometry; hearing loss; rosacea.
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