The etiology of Ménière’s disease (MD) is still unknown, but it is likely to be multifactorial, one of the factors being an immunological causation. Antifood allergens as well as anti-baker’s yeast antibodies are humoral factors that may be linked with allergenic disorders and other autoimmune conditions. To determine their possible role in MD activity, we investigated 29 MD sera for the presence of antibodies against gliadin, β-lactoglobulin, albumin, ovalbumin, soya, and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains using an ELISA technique. The patients were compared with 29 healthy individuals matched for sex and age. A serum was regarded as positive if the absorbance was two standard deviations higher than values obtained with sera from healthy subjects. Historical data, including factors which the patients believed to provoke their Ménière’s symptoms, were obtained from patients’ questionnaires. MD patients showed no significant symptoms of allergenic disorders suggesting allergies when compared to controls (p > 0.05). IgG and IgA antibody levels were not significantly raised in MD patients as compared with healthy controls (p > 0.05) for gliadin, β-lactoglobulin, soya, albumin, ovalbumin, and D. pteronyssinus and S. cerevisiae strains. These data do not convincingly support a hypothesis of increased serum levels of antifood antibodies in patients with MD, as very few patients were antibody positive.

Keywords:
Food allergens, Baker’s yeast, Ménière’s disease
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© 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel
2001
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