Sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a case report supporting the immunologic theory

Antonio Luiz dos Santos Werneck, Luiz Carlos do Amaral Gurgel, Laurinda Moura de Mello, Gabriella Queiroz de Albuquerque
2003 Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria  
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is one of the autoimmune diseases of the inner ear (AIED), which is characterized by a hearing loss of above 30 decibels in at least three contiguous audiometric frequencies over a time course of 72 hours or shorter. Its cause can be found in only 10% to 15% of patients. Histopathologic findings have reported retrograde neuronal degeneration and atrophy of Corti's organ and of the vascular stria. This paper describes a case of a middle-aged female
more » ... t undergoing a treatment for hyperthyroidism who developed bilateral SSNHL. The patient was treated with methylprednilisone (1mg/kg/day) for three days with considerable hearing improvement. This treatment was followed by lung and kidney tuberculosis. The immune mechanism of this entity and the possibility of interconnected participation of the antigen type, of an autoimmune disease and of bacterial infection are discussed.
doi:10.1590/s0004-282x2003000600025 pmid:14762610 fatcat:h6rfi4fe7fba7b5dfo2c6jrt7m