[Involvement of the audiovestibular system in multiple sclerosis]

ABSTRACT

Multiple sclerosis [MS] is a chronic demylinated disease of central nervous system which strikingly has racial and geographic differences in prevalence and symptoms. Audiovestibular involvement is relatively common in MS. In a descriptive prospective cross-sectional study on 36 patients who fulfill McDonald criteria of MS history of Audiovestibular symptoms was recorded and audiologic assessment including tunning fork, speech and pure tone audiometry, tympanometry and auditory brainstem response [ABR] performed. The mean age was 29 year [range 18-48] and female to male ratio was 17. The most common symptoms in otoneurologic domain were balance disorders [63.5%] and in 16.7% cases there was true vertigo. In audiometry 22.2% sensoryneural hearing loss mainly unilateral was repotted. ABR in 44.4% had abnormality in morphology or latency. Vertigo in 5.6% and hearing loss in 2.8% were the first symptoms. Audiovestibular involvement is fairly common and occasionally it can be the first symptom in MS, so an otorhinolaryngologist has better consider this diagnosis when a patient refers with this symptom especially in young women