title: Anti-labyrinthine antibodies in a patient with relapsing polychondritis.
abstract: Relapsing polychondritis is a rare inflammatory disease that causes destruction of cartilaginous tissue in various anatomical regions. We report here about a 55-year-old female patient with relapsing polychondritis that involved the right auricle, both audiovestibular organs and both eyes. The patient presented with persisting inflammation of the right auricle, sudden lower-frequency hearing loss, acute moderate vertigo with nausea and mild ocular symptoms. Immunofluorescence assays were used for the detection of antibodies against the cochlea and the vestibular organ and demonstrated the presence of circulating antibodies against the audiovestibular organ. No staining for anti-corneal IgG was detected. Improvement of clinical disease was achieved by treatment with systemic steroids and vasodilator drugs, and long-term medication with low-dose corticosteroids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Issing
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Selover
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schulz
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000379:methods; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D004431:Ear, External; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000276:immunology*; D004584:Electronystagmography; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009759:Nystagmus, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis; D011081:Polychondritis, Relapsing / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011239:Prednisolone