[Cochlear hearing loss following Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection].
BACKGROUND
A sudden unilateral hearing loss in childhood is commonly regarded as an unusual event.


METHODS
In this paper, we report of a 10 year old girl suffering from a unilateral right-sided sudden hearing loss following an acute infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which is also rarely observed. Maximum hearing loss was estimated around 30 dB (0.25-6 kHz), which resolved after infusions using plasma expanders. Both transitory and distortion product otoacoustic emissions remained absent, while latencies of acoustically evoked potentials were normal.


CONCLUSIONS
This suggests a damage of outer hair cell function as an explanation for the observed hearing loss. The coincidence of two rare events for children such as a spontaneous sudden unilateral hearing loss combined with an infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae gives rise to the hypothesis of a causal relationship that is discussed according to the literature.
Schönweiler
B
B
Universitäts-HNO-Klinik Essen.
Held
M
M
Schönweiler
R
R
D000208:Acute Disease; D000367:Age Factors; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001299:Audiometry; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D001844:Bone Conduction; D002648:Child; D003051:Cochlea / Q000503:physiopathology; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D005260:Female; D018072:Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer / Q000503:physiopathology; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D009177:Mycoplasma pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010952:Plasma Substitutes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000150:complications*; D011343:Procaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D010952:Plasma Substitutes; D011343:Procaine