Anti-68 kDa antibodies in autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss: are these autoantibodies really a diagnostic tool?

Objectives: Autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss (ASNHL) is a relatively rare disorder which can lead to total deafness. At present, no specific laboratory test with adequate sensitivity and specificity is available to confirm the clinical suspicion of ASNHL. The aim of this study was to identify if evaluation of anti-hsp70 antibodies is an accurate diagnostic tool in patients affected by ASNHL.Study design: Prospective study.Methods: During 4-year (2001–2005), all patients with SNHL who were referred to the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Department of Parma University, Italy, underwent specific tests to determine the autoimmune origin of the disease. Patients with a consistent suspicion of ASNHL underwent the routine serologic tests and a test for determination of anti-hsp70 antibodies. The same patients were divided into three groups: (1) idiopathic ASNHL; (2) ASNHL associated with ocular inflammation, i.e. Cogan's Syndrome; (3) ASNHL associated with a systemic autoimmune disease (SAD).The control group inc...