Diseases associated with Flammer Syndrome: An Update

Abstract

Flammer syndrome describes the predisposition for an altered reaction of the blood vessels to stimuli such as coldness, emotional stress, and / or hypoxia-together with a group of additional signs and symptoms. The essential component of Flammer syndrome is primary dysregulation of blood vessels. While most people with Flammer syndrome are healthy, they have an increased risk of certain ocular diseases, such as: glaucomatous optic neuropathy, Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy, optic nerve compartment syndrome, retinitis pigmentosa, retinal arterial and vein occlusions, central serous chorioretinopathy, visual snow, as well as certain systemic diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, breast cancer and metastatic disease, or altitude sickness. The relationship between Flammer syndrome and diseases like anorexia nervosa, sudden hearing loss, thyroid dysfunctions or pancreatic cancer are currently under investigations. This review is an update to our previous review on the same subject.