Autoimmune inner ear disease associated with ankylosing spondylitis

We report here a case study of a 24-year-old man suffering from autoimmune inner ear disease who also suffered from ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Although he was previously diagnosed with AS, he has now presented with sensorineural hearing loss and vertigo. It is the first case that a patient with AS displays symptoms of autoimmune inner ear disease. His symptoms responded well to prednisolone treatment. However, because weight gain is a common side effect of steroid treatment and may exacerbate the lower back pain, which is symptomatic of AS, he has so far been treated with a minimum dosage of prednisolone. In addition, intratympanic administration of dexamethasone was effective to suppress the exacerbation of deafness.