[Cormobidity of sensorineural hearing loss and other autoimmune diseases. Usefulness of laboratory tests].
OBJECTIVE
To value if the sensorineural hearing loss (SHL) in several autoimmune diseases (AD) is also secondary to immunomediation.


METHODS
In 342 cases with SHL and any AD and 301 normoacoustic controls with AD a non-specific immunologic battery of tests and a Western-blot (WB) for anticochlear autoantibodies were developed, and cases with SHL were treated with deflazacort.


RESULTS
Alterations in non-specific battery were similar between cases and controls. But a 12,5% of cases with SHL and a 1,6% of normoacoustic showed a positive WB (p<0,001). Steroid therapy improved hearing in 14,3% of cases. In them, sensitivity and specificity of non-specific battery were 78,4% and 75,5%, respectively, to predict response to therapy. These were 98,9% and 81,6% for WB.


CONCLUSIONS
The SHL in cases with AD can be considered immunomediated in a discrete average, but the diagnostic efficiency of WB to predict an improvement after steroid therapy is high.
García Callejo
F J
FJ
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia. jgarciacall@hotmail.com
Corts
J
J
de Paula Vernetta
C
C
Laporta
P
P
Ramírez Sabio
J
J
Marco Algarra
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000379:methods; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D003051:Cochlea / Q000276:immunology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male
D000906:Antibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M