The hearing loss in Wegener's granulomatosis: relationship between hearing loss and serum ANCA

We observed the change of hearing for 1 year in a patient with Wegener's granulomatosis. We also studied anti-human neutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA), which is believed to be specific for this disease and to be associated with disease activity. From these progresses, changes in hearing were considered to be generally related with the general condition and with the ANCA titer level. Because hearing loss in our case was improved by steroids and immunosuppressants, and because ANCA is the autoantibody observed in angiitis syndrome, hearing loss in this case of Wegener's granulomatosis was suspected of being caused by angiitis of the middle and inner ear induced by autoimmune reaction.