The International Tinnitus Journal

Controlled study of the frequency of anti-HSP 70 with the ELISA and the Western Blot methods in patients with M?ni?re Disease

Objectives: To establish the frequency of auto-antibodies anti-HSP 70 using ELISA and Western Blot (WB) methods and to compare the results of each method among patients with the Ménière's Disease (MD) and internal ear diseases (IED) who do not fulfill criteria for MD. Sensibility, specificity and predictive values of anti-HSP70 test in diagnosis of MD were calculated.

Study: Prospective, case-control. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 31 patients with MD and 78 patients with non Ménière IED. Data regarding cochlear and vestibular symptoms were obtained and blood sample was tested.

Results: ELISA tests results were positive in 4(13%) patients and results of WB were positive in 8(26%) patients. Among patients with positive ELISA results, 1 patient presented active disease and in the remaining 3 patients the disease was inactive. Among the 8 WB positive patients, only 2 patients presented active disease. Statistical analyses did not establish any association between serologic findings and clinical factors of MD.

Conclusion: The presence of anti-HSP70 using the ELISA and the WB methods did not demonstrate clinical value for the diagnosis of MD. We did not find association between idiopathic MD nor unspecific etiology MD and the presence of anti-HSP70 auto-antibodies.