Immunochemical determination of autoimmunity in the inner ear in patients with diagnosis of Ménière's disease

Abstract

Aim: to determine the presence of antibodies specific of cochlear membrane antigens and of 70 kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) in Ménière disease.

Design: analytic and descriptive observational study.

Location: Institute of Human Genetics in the School of Medicine of the Javeriana Universidad and ENT units in the San José, Military and San Ignacio hospitals and Foundation Santa Fe in Bogotá.

Patients: 11 patients with diagnosis of Ménière disease and 11 controls.

Interventions: concentrations of antibodies specific of 70 kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) were determined in the serum of each patient before any treatment. For this purpose ELISA and western blot techniques were standardized.

Results: we found a positivity index in the western blot analysis of patients of 90. 9% (N=l 1) and of 9. 1% (N=10) in controls (p<0.001). ELISA tests were found to be non specific as the results of cases and controls were non statistically significant (p>0. 05).

Conclusion: determinations of anti-HSP70 antibodies by western blot can be used as a complementary diagnostic test as well as an indicator for elective immunosuppressive therapy in positive patients.