Syndrome, Cogan

A form of arteritis (also referred to as vasculitis) that involves the ear. This condition is called Cogan syndrome after the American ophthalmologist David Glendenning Cogan (1908-93) who first described it. Cogan syndrome features not only problems of the hearing and balance portions of the ear, but also inflammation of the front of the eye (the cornea) and often fever, fatigue, and weight loss. Joint and muscle pains can also be present. Less frequently, the arteritis can involve blood vessels elsewhere in the body as in the skin, kidneys, nerves, and other tissues and organs. Cogan syndrome can lead to deafness or blindness. The treatment of Cogan syndrome is directed toward stopping the inflammation of the blood vessels. Cortisone-related medications, such as prednisone, are often used. Some patients with severe disease can require immune suppression medications, such as cyclophosphamide(CYTOXAN). Cogan syndrome is extremely rare and its cause is not known.