Deciphering Cogan’s syndrome – unraveling the complexities of autoimmune ocular and vestibular inflammation

Cogan's syndrome is an uncommon disorder marked by an inflammatory process that affects the eyes, inner ears, and systemic vasculitis.The complications of the disease can be severe, in extreme cases leading to loss of vision or hearing.The disease may probably have an immunological basis, but the exact cause remains unidentified.The clinical appearance includes ocular, audiovestibular, and general symptoms.Detection could be demanding and delayed due to the rare occurrence of this condition and the analogy of symptoms of other diseases.Therefore, clinicians should exclude different abnormalities before making the final diagnosis.The treatment focuses on limiting the inflammatory process and preventing complications.However, glucocorticoids remain the first-line choice.The prognosis varies and depends on the detection time and appropriate therapy implementation.Some patients may achieve remission, but the other may develop chronic symptoms.Because Cogan syndrome is a sparse condition, knowledge about it may be limited.This article aims to change this state.In this paper, we provide an overview of the pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic options.Moreover, we highlight the differences between typical and atypical forms, analyze the utility of therapeutic strategies, and indicate possible research directions.