Important Publication

I know I have been bombarding the forums with studies etc the last 2 days but I'm recuperating for oral surgery, so I am not going anywhere, and I don't want to work. I hope you all don't mind.


But this study blew me away.it confirms Dr Gacek's claim that MM is caused by a virus and it gives the same statistics he does 90% control of vertigo

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568997212000092

Just a few excerpts too long to copy and paste but WOW finally!

Arnold and Niedermeyer [32] evaluated the presence of higher IgG antibodies against herpes simplex virus (HSV) in the perilymph of patients with Meniere's disease. This result supported the hypothesis that the herpes simplex virus may play an important role in the aetiopathogenesis of Meniere's disease. Higher titres of IgG against adenovirus (ADV) and varicella zoster virus (VZV) were found in patients with Meniere's disease compared with a control group. These findings support the hypothesis that adenovirus and varicella zoster virus may be important in the development of Meniere's disease [39].

"Recently, direct evidence of viral neuropathy in Meniere's disease has been provided by the transmission electron microscopic observation of viral structures in vestibular ganglion cells excised from a patient with Meniere's disease (Picture 3 and Picture 4) [45] and [46]. The clinical response to antiviral medication indicated that vertigo due to Meniere's disease was relieved in 85–90% of patients. It is not surprising that control of vertigo was not greater than 85–90%, as mutant strains of the herpes virus group would be resistant to the acyclovir class of antivirals. Until newer antivirals are developed, approximately 10% of Meniere's disease patients with vertigo will not be controlled. The auditory symptoms are less effectively treated by the antiviral approach because loss of hair cells and spiral ganglion cells secondary to the toxicity of viral proteins in the perilymph is not reversible."

"The antiviral approach to the very common disabling balance symptoms experienced by patients with Meniere's disease has virtually eliminated the use of various surgical methods used in the past. These include labyrinthectomy, endolymphatic sac decompression and vestibular nerve transection. The high (90%) rate of vertigo control with orally administered antivirals should be considered as a frontline treatment for vertigo."

Take-home messages

•
Meniere's disease is an autoimmune disorder. Its etiopathogenesis includes viral infection. The histopathological correlate of Meniere's disease is endolymphatic hydrops and vestibular endorgans demonstrates variable degrees of neuroepithelial degeneration
•
Due to the possible autoimmune pathogenesis of the disease, pharmacotherapy for Meniere's disease may include corticosteroids, etanercept and warfarin. The use of antiviral agents corresponds to the viral hypothesis and has eliminated the various surgical methods of the past.
•
Gene therapy could be used in the future to transfer genetic material into inner ear cells using viral vectors and to protect, rescue, and even regenerate hair cells of the inner ear

 

oh and if MM is autoimmune they say,

autoimmunity seems to be responsible for 6% of unilateral and 16% of bilateral forms of Meniere's disease [59]. This hypothesis is supported by ample experimental data:

)
Hydrops can be induced experimentally by injection of antigens or monoclonal antibodies [60].
2)
Inner ear antigens with molecular weights of 68 kDa, 58 kDa, 42 kDa and 28 kDa might be the main components inducing autoimmune Meniere's disease in guinea pigs [61].
3)
The deposition of circulating immune complexes may produce inflammation and interfere with the capability of the endolymphatic sac's filtering. Several studies demonstrated increased values of circulating immune complexes in 21% to 96% of patients with Meniere's disease [62].
4)
Antiviral antibodies and lymphocyte blastogenesis have all been demonstrated [63].
5)
The endolymphatic sac is the site of the immune response of the inner ear and is also the site mostly involved in the pathogenesis of Meniere's disease [64].

 

this publications seems to explain it all and why 1 treatment doesn't work for everyone.

 

1 gram 3 times a day for 3 weeks (3000 mg a day or 3 grams a day)
taper to
1 gram 2 times a day for a further 3 weeks (2000 mg a day or 2 grams a day)
then
1 g daily as a maintenance dose. (1000 mg or 1 gram)

 

from what I have heard and what Dr G says if you get helped my acyclovir but it falls short in controlling vertigo then try valacylovir which is stronger and passes the blood brain barrier better.

Just make sure if you get generic Valtrex make sure it is made in USA there are many people reporting on different forums on the net that the generics of Valtrex differ in efficacy.

 

by* acyclovir

 

fingers crossed! keep us posted.

 

yes I have tinnitus but usually its low and drowned out by background noise, my ear can go deaf and ringing loud when I am sick or allergies bothering me. I also have MAV so if I eat too much of certain MAV trigger foods my ear rings like crazy and I get off balance, so I try and not over indulge with those foods.

But January 2015 will be 2 years of no vertigo...fingers crossed.

 

Thanks Pakrat I agree and I am so excited about this, its a good article to print out and bring to doctors who are resistant to trying antivirals in their practice.

I especially love how it explains why antivirals do not work for everyone. Makes perfect sense. and those percentages seem to correspond with the members on the forums.

This article ties everything up into a neat package IMO.

 

LOL deadeye I know the feeling. I just emailed Dr G and sent him the link to the article in case he wasn't aware of it.

 

I am going to my Dr Tuesday and, going to ask for blood test to test for those inner ear antigens listed in the publication for AIED.

June I agree but the paper states different types of herpes found in the inner ear not just simplex.

When I had my herpes test done for my pcp to prescribe acyclovir for MM she tested for a few types of herpes. But you are right for us to remind Drs its not just for HSV1

 

there are many different studies but this article is extremely important, read the take home message at the end of the article it sums up what the article was saying and documenting.

this is Dr G's paper
http://www.mm3admin.co.za/documents/docmanager/6e64f7e1-715e-4fd6-8315-424683839664/00056616.pdf

this thread in our database has links to about 30 studies supporting a viral cause
http://menieres.org/talk/index.php?topic=14.0