Susac syndrome: a vasospastic disorder?
OBJECTIVE
The Susac syndrome is a microangiopathy that leads to visual symptoms, hearing loss and neurological symptoms.


METHODS
We report on a young woman suffering from this syndrome who also presented the following signs and symptoms typical of a vasospastic syndrome; 1) a history of cold hands, low blood pressure and migraine; 2) a typical alteration of conjunctival vessels; 3) prolonged flow arrest time after cooling in nailfold capillaromicroscopy; 4) increased resistivity in the orbital vessels measured by color Doppler imaging; and 5) an increased plasma level of endothelin-1.


CONCLUSIONS
We postulate that the Susac syndrome is a manifestation of the vasospastic syndrome.
Flammer
J
J
University Eye Clinic, Department of Ophthalmology, Basel, Switzerland. Josef.Flammer@unibas.ch
Kaiser
H
H
Haufschild
T
T
D000328:Adult; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply; D015356:Retinal Artery Occlusion / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D013577:Syndrome; D020301:Vasospasm, Intracranial / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D014794:Visual Fields
D019332:Endothelin-1