Journal of Rheumatic Diseases  2013;20(2):132-135

doi:10.4078/jrd.2013.20.2.132

A Case of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in a Patient with Axial Spondyloarthritis.

Hyon Joung CHO 1 ; Inku YO ; Heejung RYU ; Juuhyoung LEE ; Han Joo BEAK

Affiliations

+expand

Keywords

Sensorineural hearing loss; Axial spondyloarthritis; Ankylosing spondylitis

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is rarely presented in patients with several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. We report a case of sudden SNHL in a patient with axial spondyloarthritis (aSpA). A 29-year-old male with aSpA was admitted for sudden unilateral hearing loss. His aSpA symptom was stable; however, pure tone audiometry revealed that he had SNHL in the left ear at low frequency. His hearing was fully recovered with systemic and local steroid therapy. This case suggests that sudden SNHL may be an extra-articular manifestation of aSpA and thus need prompt steroid therapy in order to restore hearing.