Vol.96 No.1 contentsPRACTICA OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGICA
Vol. 96 No. 1 January 2003
A Case of Anti-phospholipid Syndrome Presenting
Unilateral Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Hayabusa Nozawa, Isamu Kunibe, Mitsuru Yanai, Akihiro Katada,
Tatsuya Hayashi, Satoshi Nonaka and Yasuaki Harabuchi
(Asahikawa Medical College)
Anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) was first reported by Harris in 1985 as one of a variety of clinical features associated with episodes of arterial or venous thrombosis. We report a rare case of acute sensorineural hearing loss due to APS. A 40-year-old woman complained of acute sensorineural hearing loss. She had been diagnosed with APS because of positivity for serum anti-phospholipid antibody and 3 episodes of natural abortion. The hearing loss was improved by treatment with predonisolone, but after 4 months, hearing loss recurred. Since she refused steroid therapy and anticoagulation therapy, continuous administration of aspirin was performed. Six months later, her hearing had recovered. If a patient presents with sudden sensorineural hearing loss, it is important to suspect APS and inquire into histories such as thrombosis and recurrent abortion.
Key words : anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS), sensorineural hearing loss