TITLE:
Is Meniere Disease Caused by a Pathological Immune Response?
AUTHORS:
Ziane Selmani, Ilmari Pyykkö, Nureddin Ashammakhi
KEYWORDS:
Circulating Immune Complex (Circulating IC); Electrocochleography (ECoG)
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery,
Vol.3 No.2,
March
27,
2014
ABSTRACT: The etiology of Meniere disease (MD) is
unknown. Among the several factors which can provoke the disease is a
pathological immune response. Objective: To investigate whether MD is due to a
pathological immune reaction. Materials and methods: Immunological assay (IA)
was evaluated in a consecutive study on 159 patients with MD (mean age 47.8.
years) and the results compared with those from 26 patients operated on because
of vestibular schwannoma (VS, mean age 54.1 years), who served as a control
group. In cases of MD, transtympanic electrocochleography (ECoG) and hearing
threshold were measured. Results: The average hearing level (HL) in the
affected ears of patients with MD was 30 dB. Evidence of abnormal plasma
protein pattern was found in 127 MD patients (80%). Elevations were found in β1-globulin
(54.5%), β2-globulin (26.5%), a2-globulin
(34.3%), g-globulin
(17.3%), complement (CH100, 36.4%)
and antinuclear antibodies (ANA,
43.4%). The onset of the disease did not correlate with the level of the plasma
protein neither with the level of IgG titers. Conclusion: Elevated certain
plasma proteins in patients with Meniere’s disease could be a sign that
Meniere’s disease is a consequence of pathological immune reaction.