[Clinical analysis of ear symptoms of 40 patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis].

Objective

To analyze the clinical feature, diagnosis and treatment of Anca-associated vasculitis with ear symptoms.

Methods

In this retrospective study, we summarized the clinical and laboratory examination, pure tone audiometry, aural immittance measurement, CT scan of temporal bone and treatment of 40 patients in the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital.

Results

A total of 11 cases（27.5%） had the initial symptom in the ear. The most common symptoms were hearing loss, and the other symptoms included a sense of ear fullness, otorrhea and tinnitus. There were 35 cases with hearing loss: 19 cases with conductive hearing loss（47.5%）, 9 cases with sensorineural hearing loss（22.5%）, and 7 cases with mixed hearing loss（17.5%）. 5 cases had a sense of ear fullness or tinnitus, and the results of the hearing test were normal（12.5%）. All of the 40 patients had multi-system involvement, and respiratory system accounted for the most. All patients had a positive result of Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody（ANCA）. Treatment included systemic hormonal, immunosuppressive, or biologic therapy. There were 3 cases recovered（7.5%）, 22 cases with alleviated ear symptoms（55.0%）, 6 cases with recurrent hearing loss（15%） and 9 cases had no significant improvement（22.5%）.

Conclusion

Conductive deafness（secretory otitis media） can be the first manifestation in the early stage of otitis media with AAV（OMAAV）, later it may turn to binaural mixed deafness. Otolaryngologists need to consider OMAAV diagnosis when diagnosing and treating patients with recurrent secretory otitis media. Multi-system symptom consultation and ANCA examination can help identify. Early systemic medication and the application of immunosuppressants or biological agents can help relieve the ear symptoms.