Acute autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss associated with Crohn's disease

We report the sudden onset of bilateral hearing loss in a patient with Croh n's disease while the intestinal disease was quiescent. Antibodies directed against collagen type II were detected in the serum. Dramatic improvement of his hearing was observed under corticosteroid therapy, Diagnosis of auto immune sensorineural hearing loss was established. This condition could be considered as an extraintestinal manifestation of Crohn's disease. Early di agnosis is mandated, as prompt and intensive treatment with corticosteroids and/or immunosuppressive drugs is effective and could prevent irreversible hearing loss. (C) 1998 by Am. Cell. of Gastroenterology.