Bridging the triad: A comprehensive review of Susac's syndrome

Susac's Syndrome (SuS) is a rare, immune-mediated disorder characterized by encephalopathy, branch retinal artery occlusions (BRAO), and sensorineural hearing loss, with an estimated 450 diagnosed cases worldwide. Disease presentation varies in symptoms and duration, including vertigo, hearing loss, visual disturbances, migraine-like headaches, and central nervous system dysfunction. The current classification of SuS remains unclear due to a lack of pathophysiology and many hypotheses have been suggested, such as genetic predisposition and/or previous immune challenge causing SuS as a secondary disease. In this review, we present differential diagnoses and argue SuS's classification as a delayed-type hypersensitivity autoimmune disorder. Further familial genetic research is needed.