Idiopathic Inflammatory Arthritis in the Auditory Canal in a Patient With Hearing Impairment: A Case Report and Literature Review
10.4078/jrd.2022.29.2.116
- Author:
So Hye NAM
1
;
Gi Hwan KIM
;
Hong Ju PARK
;
Yong-Gil KIM
Author Information
1. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Uijeongbu Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University School of Medicine, Uijeongbu, Korea
- Publication Type:Case Report
- From:Journal of Rheumatic Diseases
2022;29(2):116-122
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Inflammatory arthritis can affect the auditory system during the disease course. Although most cases show asymptomatic hearing impairment, it can result in hearing loss. Here we describe the case of a 70-year-old female with hearing impairment associated with idiopathic inflammatory arthritis in her auditory system. She had suffered from hearing difficulties for decades; however, the causes of her hearing impairment had not been evaluated. Pure tone audiometry showed severe sensorineural hearing loss requiring a cochlear implant. The workup for the cochlear implant revealed erosive changes in the incudomalleolar and incudostapedial joints with soft tissue swelling on temporal bone computed tomography. Bone pathology revealed plasmacytic infiltration and granulomatous inflammation. Laboratory examinations showed elevated levels of inflammatory markers; otherwise, she had negative results for all autoantibodies. In patients with idiopathic hearing loss, inflammatory arthritis of the middle ear without peripheral arthritis can provide a clue regarding the cause of the hearing loss.
