OTONEUROLOGICAL OBSERVATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF HARADAS DISEASE PRESENTING WITH AURAL SYMPTOMS, ESPECIALLY VERTIGO

Harada's disease is an uncommon autoimmune disease affecting melanocyt es located in the uvea, inner ear, skin, hair, and meninges. A classif ication of Harada's disease presenting with aural symptoms, especially vertigo, was devised on the basis of otoneurological findings. Periph eral vestibular dysfunction, such as staggering in the stepping test, rotate-horizontal or horizontal nystagmus, and diminished labyrinthine function in the caloric nystagmus test, was observed in the vast majo rity of these patients. Harada's disease with such features was design ated as the peripheral type, and was further divided into vestibular, cochleo-vestibular, and cochlear subtypes. Patients only rarely presen ted with symptoms or signs of central nervous system involvement, and Harada's disease with such features was designated as the central type .