Atypical Cogan's Syndrome with Large-vessel Vasculitis Successfully Treated with Tocilizumab

Intern Med. 2023 Nov 15;62(22):3413-3417. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.1561-23. Epub 2023 Apr 7.

Abstract

A 61-year-old man presented with weight loss, bilateral ocular redness, blurred vision, and sensorineural hearing loss. Fluorodeoxyglucose-position emission tomography/computed tomography demonstrated an uptake in the ascending and descending aorta, abdominal aorta and femoral arteries. Atypical Cogan's syndrome complicated with large-vessel vasculitis (LVV) was diagnosed. He was treated with high-dose prednisolone and subcutaneous tocilizumab (162 mg/week), resulting in successful improvements in his ocular and vascular involvements. Although there is currently no established treatment strategy for LVV associated with Cogan's syndrome, our case and literature review suggest that tocilizumab is a viable treatment option for this rare but life-threatening complication.

Keywords: Cogan's syndrome; anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody; interleukin-6; large vessel vasculitis; tocilizumab.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use
  • Cogan Syndrome* / complications
  • Cogan Syndrome* / diagnosis
  • Cogan Syndrome* / drug therapy
  • Hearing Loss, Sensorineural* / drug therapy
  • Hearing Loss, Sensorineural* / etiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • tocilizumab
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized

Supplementary concepts

  • Apraxia, oculomotor, Cogan type