title: Autoimmune inner ear disease in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the response to treatment of pediatric patients diagnosed with autoimmune inner ear disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven children who presented with sensorineural hearing loss and were diagnosed with autoimmune inner ear disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnosis through blood testing. Treatment with steroids and/or cytotoxic medication.
  
  
  METHODS
  Improvement in pure-tone average and speech discrimination scores on audiometric testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six of the 7 children (85.7%) improved with treatment, and the remaining patient had no measurable progression of disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with autoimmune inner ear disease seem to benefit from treatment with steroids and/or cytotoxic medication. Although such medications must be used with caution in the pediatric population, they should not be withheld simply because of young age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Natalie C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Sataloff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001844:Bone Conduction; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000276:immunology*; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006801:Humans; D007759:Labyrinth Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013067:Speech Perception; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen; D013256:Steroids; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone; D008727:Methotrexate