Elevated antithyroid peroxidase and antinuclear autoantibody titers in Ménière's disease patients: more than a chance association?
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the possible association between Ménière's disease (MD) and autoantibodies.


METHODS
Fifty-five patients with definite MD (51 unilateral and 4 bilateral) were matched with 55 patients with unilateral vestibular paresis without cochlear involvement and 55 healthy subjects. Blood samples were collected from all study subjects for the determination of serum TSH, free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, anti-TSH receptor antibody, antithyroperoxidase antibody, antithyroglobulin antibody and of antibodies to non-organ-specific antigens, namely antinuclear antibodies, antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens and antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibodies.


RESULTS
Thirty-three subjects (60%) of the MD group had 1 or more elevated serum autoantibody levels, both organ and non-organ specific; 16 patients (29.1%) with unilateral vestibular paresis had 1 or more elevated serum autoantibody levels, while 13 healthy subjects (23.6%) had 1 or more elevated serum autoantibody levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on our data we speculate that there is a more than a chance association between MD and 'autoimmunity', thus suggesting a hypothetical role of the immune system in MD pathogenesis. In other words, a pathogenetic role of an 'immune dysregulation' in MD patients can be hypothesized.
Nacci
Andrea
A
Audiology and Phoniatric Chair, Neuroscience Department, Pisa University, Pisa, Italy. a.nacci@med.unipi.it
Dallan
Iacopo
I
Monzani
Fabio
F
Dardano
Angela
A
Migliorini
Paola
P
Riente
Lucrezia
L
Ursino
Francesco
F
Fattori
Bruno
B
D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000276:immunology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
D001323:Autoantibodies; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013974:Thyroxine