Evaluating for audiological differences in children with alopecia areata

Follicular melanocytes have been reported as a possible target in the autoimmune process of alopecia areata (AA), as hair bulb melanocytes have shown both histologic and ultrastructural abnormalities in AA. Given that melanin is thought to partially modulate the transduction of auditory stimuli by the inner ear, melanocyte destruction in those with AA could impact hearing function. Previous studies in adults have found significantly increased rates of hearing loss (HL) in patients with AA. Ucak et al. found that 54.9% of included adults with AA had sensorineural HL (SNHL), significantly greater than the 25.4% with SNHL in the control group. In contrast to these reports, other recent studies have found no audiological differences between adults with AA and control groups. It is still unclear whether or not a true association between HL and AA exists, and if so, which groups of patients are at the greatest risk. Although AA often presents during childhood, no data regarding HL in pediatric patients with AA currently exists. Given the importance of audiological function in development throughout childhood, it is essential to understand how AA could impact hearing in this group. To address this gap, we evaluated the audiological function of a group of children with AA.