Hemophagocytic syndrome in the course of sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

OBJECTIVE This paper aims to comprehensively document a rare case of sensorineural hearing loss accompanied by hemophagocytic syndrome which could be one of the causes of cochlear dysfunction. METHODS A 63-year-old man presented with right-sided sudden hearing loss and dizziness and pure-tone audiometry showed a right-sided sensorineural hearing loss. The patient was treated with steroid pulse infusion therapy, ATP and vitamin B(12). RESULTS Bone marrow specimen revealed hemophagocytic cells and the diagnosis of hemophagocytic syndrome was made. A blood culture grew Capnocytophaga. The prognosis for hearing recovery was poor. CONCLUSION Although viral infection and cochlear circulatory dysfunction have been suggested to be associated with sudden sensorineural hearing loss, hemophagocytic syndrome due to bacterial infection which produces high cytokine levels might cause dysfunction of the inner ear.