Vestibulo-ocular reflex abnormality in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome

An unusual cause of vertigo, tinnitus, and hyperacusis: Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome

We describe the case of a 36-year-old woman with a history of vitiligo who presented with an insidious onset of neurologic, vestibular, ocular, and auditory symptoms. She had recently noted the onset of vertigo, tinnitus, and hypersensitivity to sound. Findings on audiometry were within normal limits, although the patient reported some auditory discomfort during the testing. The patient had a history of bilateral uveitis and peripheral neurologic symptoms. She was diagnosed with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome and started on corticosteroid therapy. Her neurologic, vestibular, ocular, and auditory symptoms resolved. VKH syndrome is an uncommon cause of vertigo and hearing loss, but it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with autoimmunity-related inner ear symptoms.

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome with intracranial meningioma: an as yet unreported association

CASE REPORT

We document a previously unreported association of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome with intracranial meningioma. A female patient with diminished vision, exudative retinal detachment, and headache was diagnosed with VKH syndrome, more precisely a Harada form of disease with intracranial meningioma, on the basis of exudative retinal detachment, typical fundus fluorescein findings, and magnetic resonance imaging. With intravenous steroid therapy, visual acuity improved and the detachment settled within a week. At 3 months, the detachment recurred but improved after retreatment. At 1 year, the tumour was unchanged in size.

COMMENTS

VKH syndrome may be associated with intracranial meningioma that may affect the patient's overall morbidity or mortality.

[Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome]

INTRODUCTION

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome is a rare, inflammatory disease with manifestations affecting the ocular, central nervous, audito-vestibular, and integumentary systems. Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome is more frequent in Asia but is also described in Europe. We report three new non asiatic cases of this syndrome.

OBSERVATIONS

The three patients had bilateral panuveitis and hypoacusia. Two of them had peripheral facial palsy, two of them had vestibular syndrome and one of them lymphocytic meningitis. In each case we found characteristic HLA II typing and in one case we discovered the simultaneous presence of three auto-antibodies: anti-retina (anti-Arrestin type), anti-choroid and anti-cochlea. These patients were treated by corticosteroids but required an additional treatment by cyclophosphamide (0.8g/m2). The clinical course was favorable with visual sequelae for two and auditory one for one.

DISCUSSION

These biological and therapeutic elements and a review of the recent literature are in favor of an autoimmune origin of this syndrome.

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease presenting initially as aseptic meningoencephalitis

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease in a Gypsy woman was diagnosed 4 months after her initial complaints. The delay is explained by the facts that: (1) the characteristic ophthalmological symptoms, which usually herald the disease and ensure early diagnosis, developed only late during the course; and (2) only retrospective analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cell preparation proved the presence of melanin-laden macrophages (MLMs), specific for the syndrome. We emphasize that VKH syndrome may initially present as aseptic meningitis, without specific ophthalmological symptoms. In suspected cases a very detailed CSF cell analysis is needed, because the presence of MLMs could confirm the diagnosis. However, VKH syndrome has a much higher incidence in Asia; cases in other races, including white people in Europe, also occur.

Corneal anesthesia in a case with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome

PURPOSE

To add clinical features to the description of the Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome.

METHOD

Case report.

RESULTS

The case presented with a typical medical history of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome, including headaches, low-grade fever, nuchal rigidity, and from the eyes bilateral visual loss, a reaction from the anterior chambers, bilateral uveities with localized exudative retinal detachment from the left. In addition there were tonic pupils, anesthesia of the corneas, and an accommodative deficit.

CONCLUSION

Corneal anesthesia, tonic pupils and accommodative impairment can be features of the Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome.