Immunological abnormality of the serological tests in bilateral sensorineural hearing loss

Thirty-one patients with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss were investigated by serological and cellular immune examination, i.e. lymphocyte subsets, circulating immune complexes, autoantibodies, complements, immunoglobulins. Manifest immunological abnormality was demonstrated in 10 patients (32.3%) who were classified into 3 groups. The first group (3 patients) exhibited the presence of immune complex and/or autoantibody with an elevation of B-cell subset which was thought to relate to autoimmune response type II and/or III. The second group (3 patients) was suspected of a cellular immune-mediated response. One patient belonged to both the first and second group. The other 5 patients had immune disturbances induced by viral infection.