title: Autoimmune identification of sudden hearing loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify autoantibody bands using Western blotting in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL).
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients admitted to our emergency ward with ISSNHL during a 3-year period (n = 51) were included in a diagnostic laboratory protocol, which included a non-specific test battery for immune disorders and a Western blot (WB) for bovine cochlear antigen, and underwent corticosteroid therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 16 cases (31%) a band was identified in the WB. Cases with a positive WB showed abnormal results in a greater number of non-specific laboratory tests (3.6 +/- 1.3 vs 0.9 +/- 1.1; p < 0.001) and had greater hearing recovery (33.8% +/- 17.7% vs 50.6% +/- 18.5%; p < 0.01). Moreover, patients with a positive WB showed good correlations between the degree of hearing recovery and both early onset of treatment (0.5504x + 43.621; R2 = 0.8603; p < 0.01) and age (0.4053x + 56.298; R2 = 0.8952; p < 0.01). The non-specific test battery showed a sensitivity of 78% and a specificity of 94% for detecting an autoimmune disorder compared with WB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A positive WB predicts a good response to corticosteroid therapy in ISSNHL patients. If it is not possible to perform a WB then the non-specific test battery has a good capability for predicting autoimmune disorders.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Clinico Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: García Callejo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marco Algarra
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Martínez Beneyto
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Orts Alborch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morant Ventura
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry / Q000379:methods; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D001323:Autoantibodies