An unusual autoimmune inner ear condition results in hearing loss, but is reversible if treated.
The High Stakes of Brain, Ear, Eye Syndromes
Experts detailed the diagnosis and treatment of two patients with Susac syndrome, a brain, ear, eye syndrome. They also provided insights into the complexities of these conditions, why they are difficult to diagnose and key points for practicing rheumatologists.
Older Gout Patients More Likely to Develop Hearing Impairment
Previous research has established that gout and hearing loss have shared risk factors. Now, a recent study found gout itself is associated with an increased risk of hearing loss in adults 65 years and older…
Rheumatology Case Report: Monoarticular Arthritis in Pregnancy
Limited data exist on the clinical presentation of Muckle–Wells syndrome (MWS) during pregnancy. The purpose of this case report is to highlight the diagnosis of MWS in a pregnant woman. Many rheumatic diseases affect women of childbearing age, and their management during pregnancy can be challenging. Case A 33-year-old, 18-weeks’ pregnant woman was hospitalized for…
When Sense Disorders Signal Immune System Interactions
I sometimes find myself mired in sticky clinical circumstances. I am facing a distraught patient who is seeking my opinion about a condition that, according to some, may not truly belong in the rheumatologist’s bailiwick. Case example: hearing loss. The Steroid Test Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) and its relative, autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED),…
Risk of Hearing Loss in Patients with Osteoporosis
People diagnosed with osteoporosis have almost twice the risk of developing hearing loss as those without the bone-fragile skeletal disease, according to results from a large retrospective study in Taiwan. The study looked at the risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) using data collected from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance claims and is believed to…