Audiological disturbances in patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome

Abstract

Background Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease of hypercoagulability state in the presence of antibodies against phospholipids. Many neurological deficits related to APS have been described. Sensory neural hearing loss has been described only anecdotally, mostly in case reports. This study investigated a possible association between hearing disorders and APS. Methods Seventeen patients (aged 20–80 years) diagnosed with primary APS were evaluated for evidence of hearing disorders. All had otoscopy, full audiometry test, brainstem evoked response audiometry and otoacoustic emissions testing, and completed a questionnaire. Hearing levels were compared to the standard hearing levels of the general population by age group. Results Of the 17 APS patients, 10 (age groups 20–29 and 50–59) had significantly reduced hearing levels in all or part of the tested frequencies compared to standard levels. Three patients (age group 60–69) had better hearing levels at low frequencies compared to standard hearing levels. Conclusion These findings support the existence of hearing disorders in primary APS.

Chronic oxcarbazepine intoxication in a patient with primary antiphospholipid syndrome on maintenance haemodialysis

“…Audiovestibular adverse events are rare complications of antimalarial therapy, which are deemed to be irreversible 7 . Finally, it can be a manifestation of APS 8 . Nonetheless, hearing loss may still be attributable to each one or combination of the possible causes listed above.…”