Open AccessSensorineural Hearing Loss in the Setting of Systemic Autoimmune Disease: A Temporal Bone Study
Author(s) -
Balaker Ashley Erin,
Ishiyama Akira,
Lopez Ivan A.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
otolaryngology–head and neck surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.232
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1097-6817
pISSN - 0194-5998
DOI - 10.1177/0194599811415823a302
Subject(s) - medicine , endolymphatic hydrops , sensorineural hearing loss , atrophy , hearing loss , temporal bone , pathology , vasculitis , presbycusis , autoimmune disease , etiology , dermatology , audiology , disease , surgery , meniere's disease
Objective Determine if temporal bone specimens from patients with different systemic autoimmune diseases and sensorineural hearing loss will show similar histologic findings, including endolymphatic hydrops, strial atrophy, loss of hair cells, neuronal loss, and/or evidence of vasculitis. Method This is a histopathologic study of 34 temporal bones from 21 patients with autoimmune disorders and sensorineural hearing loss. Specimens were studied under light microscopy, and pathologic changes were graded, including degree of endolymphatic hydrops, strial atrophy, hair cell loss, neuronal loss, and presence of vasculitis. Results Strial atrophy was the most common finding and correlated with the degree of hearing loss. Only patients with Cogan syndrome or primary autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss had endolymphatic hydrops. Cochlear hair cell loss and neuronal loss were seen in some specimens but not universally. Vasculitis was only seen in polyarteritis nodosa. Conclusion Strial atrophy may represent the underlying etiology of sensorineural hearing loss in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. However, the age of these patients makes presbycusis a possible confounding factor in these specimens.