Treatment-refractory autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss: response to infliximab

Ear Nose Throat J. 2011 Jan;90(1):23-8. doi: 10.1177/014556131109000107.

Abstract

We conducted a retrospective study to assess the effects of infliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody, on hearing in patients with autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss who had previously not responded to steroid therapy and/or treatment with other immunosuppressive drugs such as methotrexate and cyclophosphamide. We reviewed the records of 8 such patients. Our objective measures of outcome were pure-tone averages at 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 Hz and speech discrimination scores. At the completion of treatment, no patient exhibited a positive response to infliximab therapy by objective measurements, and only 1 patient (12.5%) reported subjective improvement.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use*
  • Antirheumatic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Audiometry
  • Autoimmune Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Female
  • Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / drug therapy*
  • Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / immunology
  • Humans
  • Infliximab
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Failure

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antirheumatic Agents
  • Infliximab