Resumo:
CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS ASSOCIATED WHIT AUDIOLOGICAL CHANGES. Introduction: Systemic sclerosis (ES) is an aetiologically unknown pathology that affects several systems. Clinically it is characterized by thickening of the skin due to the accumulation of connective tissue compromising visceral organs. Studies show that these individuals present bilateral sensorineural hearing disorders, possibly due to cochlear vascular alterations. Objective: To investigate, characterize and quantify hearing loss in patients with ES followed up at the Rheumatology Department of the Magalhães Neto Ambulatory of UFBA in the period 1979 - 2012, associating them with the clinical manifestations of ES in groups with and without hearing loss. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 50 patients enrolled in the outpatient Rheumatology service between 1979 and 2012. The inclusion criteria were: Be registered at the outpatient clinic, confirmed diagnosis of SSc and audiological evaluation by audiometry. Were excluded; Incomplete medical records with information of interest to the study (sex, age), clinical manifestations of ES, and audiological evaluation via audiometry. Results: At the end, 48 patients were analyzed, since two were excluded. The mean age was 51 years and the female sex was the most affected. The predominant subtype was ES limited (EScl). The clinical manifestations were; Raynaud's Signal, Gastroesophageal Reflux, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Thickening of Skin on Hands and Arms, Legs and Legs, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Sclerodactyly, Calcinosis, Postprandial Impingement, Telangiectasia, Diverticula, Grade I Megaesophagus and Cardiac Achalasia. Of these, 21 presented hearing loss, prevailing bilateral sensorineural. The patients were divided into two groups, with and without hearing loss, and the frequencies of clinical manifestations in each were quantified. Conclusion: The hearing loss was quite prevalent, affecting 21 patients, predominantly female and of the bilateral sensorineural type. The findings demonstrate that there is no significant relevance to the associations between the clinical manifestations of ES and hearing loss. However, we can observe that there was a tendency of association between Pulmonary Fibrosis and hearing loss. Patients with ES and hearing loss presented telangiectasias, diverticula, megaesophagus grade I and achalasia of cardia; Manifestations not presented in the group without hearing loss.
