Etiology and pathogenesis of auditory and vestibular dysfunction in patients with autoimmune disorders

Autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED) encompassed a diverse group of disorders in which immune-mediated damage to vestibulocochlear apparatus results in hearing loss, tinnitus, or vestibular impairment. The underlying pathogenesis involves inflammatory responses with self-reactive antibodies and T-cell-mediated injuries. These insults induce electrochemical disturbances, microthrombosis, and immune cell deposition within the structures of the inner ear. AIED may be a primary disorder or accompany systemic diseases. In this chapter, we discuss the etiology of the hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular disorders in patients affected by autoimmune disorders.