A Case of Relapsing Polychondritis with Fluctuating Hearing Loss

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare disease of unknown etiology. We report of a case with fluctuating hearing impairment. A 44-year-old man was hospitalized with arthritis and bilateral chondritis of the auricles. He had no signs of inner ear damage or ocular inflammation. Then he developed ocular inflammation, and his hearing level gradually decreased to about 30 dB. Audiometric investigation revealed that his hearing impairment was caused by cochlear damage. Vestibular symptons were also noted. Treatment with steroids and endoxan improved hearing and tinnitus. After a few weeks his hearing level again decreased with reduction of steroid dose. We administered a intra-tympanic steroid injection and his hearing level increased again.We speculated that hearing loss from relapsing polychondritis may be caused by involvement of the internal auditory artery or disorders in the mucopolysaccharides in the in ner ear.