Histological studies of the auditory organ in patients with acquired hypothyroidism are scarce. Thus the aim of the present study was to examine the temporal bones and the brain is subjects with hypothyroidism. Four temporal bones and two brains from clinically and biochemically hypothyroid subjects were removed and evaluated by light microscopy determine to the morphological changes and deposition of neutral and acid glycosaminnoglycans. An audiogram from one of the patients showed a sensorineural hearing loss. Which could be ascribed to occupational noise exposure. The study revealed histological changes compatible with age and infectious disease. No accumulation of neutral or acid glycosaminoglycans could be demonstrated in the temporal bones, or in the brains.

Reinke's oedema (RO) of the vocal folds is a condition of unknown aetiology. Cigarette smoking and vocal abuse may contribute to its development. Hypo thy roidism has been described as an aetiological factor but, to date, no controlled study has been published confirming this association. This prospective, controlled study compared thyroid function in 61 consecutive RO patients with an age and sex matched control group (n = 65) without laryngeal disease. Thyroid function was assessed by measuring serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3). Hypothyroidism was diagnosed when TSH was above normal with a T3 and T4 below the normal range.

Four RO patients were hypothyroid at the time of diagnosis, compared to five of the control group. Six RO patients had past or present hypothyroidism compared to seven of the controls. One RO patient and two controls were euthyroid with marginally elevated TSH levels. Although the incidence of hypothyroidism in this group of Reinke's oedema patients is higher than expected in a normal population, it is similar to that in an age and sex matched control group, reflecting the prevalence of hypothyroidism in middle aged women.

This study suggests that hypothyroidism is not an aetiological factor in the development of Reinke's oedema.