Previously, we reported the expression levels of specific microRNA machinery components, DGCR8 and AGO2, and their clinical association in patients with idiopathic sudden hearing loss (SSNHL). In the present study, we investigated the other important components of microRNA machinery and their association with clinical parameters in SSNHL patients. Fifty-seven patients diagnosed with SSNHL and fifty healthy volunteers were included in this study. We evaluated mRNA expression levels of Dicer and Drosha in whole blood of patients with SSNHL and the control group, using RT & real-time PCR analysis. The Dicer mRNA expression level was down-regulated in patients with SSNHL. However, the Drosha mRNA expression level was not significantly altered in patients with SSNHL. Neither the Dicer nor Drosha mRNA expression level was not associated with any clinical parameters, including age, sex, duration of initial treatment from onset (days), initial Pure tone average, Siegel's criteria, WBC, and Erythrocyte sedimentation rate. However, mRNA expression levels of Dicer and Drosha were positively correlated to each other in patients with SSNHL. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that the Dicer mRNA expression level was down-regulated in patients with SSNHL, suggesting its important role in pathobiology of SSNHL development.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; Biomarkers ; DEAD-box RNA Helicases/*blood ; Down-Regulation ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/*blood ; Hearing Loss, Sudden/*blood ; Humans ; Male ; MicroRNAs/*metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Ribonuclease III/*blood/*metabolism ; Statistics as Topic

OBJECTIVE: Through the analysis of coagulation convention and blood routine parameters of sudden hearing loss (SHL) patients, further prove the correlation of sudden deafness and the the inner ear microcirculation, to guide clinical diagnosis and treatment. METHOD: Select 424 patients (448 ears) with sudden deafness in our department to SHL group. According to hearing curve is classified into low intermediate frequency descent group, high frequency drop and full frequency group, and drawing 244 cases in the same period of hospitalization deviated septum, vocal cord polyp patients as control group. All patients' coagulation detection, D-dimer, blood leukocytes, neutrophils and platelet count percentages were analyzed. Then a meaningful factor multivariate Logistic regression analysis was made. RESULT: There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups' prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time measurement, fibrinogen, D-dimer, platelet count, white blood cell, neutrophil ratio(P<0.05); Logistic regression analysis showed that the prothrombin, thrombin time measurement, fibrinogen, D-dimer, neutrophil incidence of sudden hearing loss associated risk factors. CONCLUSION SHL in patients with coagulation dysfunction may be involved in the occurrence of SHL development mechanism, and there is a correlation of the SHL and the dysfunction of inner ear microcirculation.
Blood Coagulation Disorders ; complications ; Ear, Inner ; blood supply ; Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products ; analysis ; Fibrinogen ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; blood ; complications ; Humans ; Incidence ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: To investigate effect and safty evaluation of stellate ganglion catheter retention with discontinuous block on sudden deafness. METHOD: One hundred and twenty-six patiens with sudden monaural deafness were randomly divided into Catheterp and block and control groups with 42 cases in each group. All patients' throats were given conventional blood activating drugs, hormone and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. stellate ganglion puncture retained catheter were administrated to the patients in catheter group followed by ropivacaine block 1 times/day, block group stellate ganglion puncture and ropivacaine block 1 times/day. The patients in control group were only received routine comprehensive treatment. Patients in both catheter group and block groups were treated by hyperbaric oxygen therapy after the block treatment. Curative effects of three groups were observed. The patients' satisfaction, heart rate, the chages of blood pressure before and after the block, detachment of tubes, and adverse drug reaction were recorded. RESULT: The effect of the treatment in both catheter group, block group was better than in control group (85.7%, 37 cases); 83.3%, 35 cases) vs 64.3%, 27 cases, P < 0.05). The satisfactory rate in the patients in catheter group was significantly higher than block group (83.3%, 35 cases vs 61.9%, 26 cases, P < 0.05). The heart rate and the blood pressure before and 5 minutes after catheterization in catheter group and block groupwere changed obviously. Moreover, no adverse drug reaction and detachment of tubes were observed. CONCLUSION It is a safe and effective administration of stellate ganglion catheter retention with interrupted ropivacaine block.
Amides ; therapeutic use ; Autonomic Nerve Block ; methods ; Blood Pressure ; Catheterization ; Catheters ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; surgery ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Ropivacaine ; Stellate Ganglion ; surgery

OBJECTIVES: The microRNAs have been implicated in the development and function of the inner ear, especially in contribution to hearing. However, the impact of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) on expression of miRNA biogenesis-related components has not been established. To investigate the regulations of microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis-related components, argonaute 2 (AGO2) and DiGeorge syndrome critical region gene 8 (DGCR8) mRNA expression in SSNHL and to evaluate the value of clinical parameters on their expression. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients diagnosed with SSNHL and fifty-one healthy volunteers were included in this study. We measured mRNA expression levels of AGO2 and DGCR8 in whole blood cells but erythrocytes of patients with SSNHL and controls, using reverse transcription and real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. RESULTS: The mRNA expression level of AGO2 is upregulated in SSNHL. The expression level of AGO2 was significantly correlated with that of DGCR8 in both patients with SSNHL and controls. Expression level of AGO2 in SSNHL was correlated with white blood cell counts. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated for the first time that the AGO2 mRNA expression level was upregulated in SSNHL, suggesting its important role in pathobiology of SSNHL development.
Blood Cells ; DiGeorge Syndrome ; Ear, Inner ; Erythrocytes ; Healthy Volunteers ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural* ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Leukocyte Count ; MicroRNAs ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reverse Transcription ; RNA, Messenger ; Social Control, Formal

BACKGROUND: Both stellate ganglion block (SGB) and polarized light irradiation (Superlizer) have a tendency to increase blood flow. Increases in blood flow can be estimated indirectly by changes in tympanic membrane temperature. In this study, we sought to evaluate how simultaneous SGB and Superlizer treatment affects tympanic temperature and tympanic blood flow in individuals suffering from sudden deafness. METHODS: Among patients who visited the pain clinic complaining of sudden deafness, we divided them into two groups: one receiving only SGB; the other receiving both SGB and Superlizer treatment. By comparing the tympanic membrane temperature measurements of both groups on 10, 30, and 60 minutes after treatment through a prospective study, we intended to evaluate the effect of treatment with SGB and Superlizer. RESULTS: Temperature changes measured after the injection were statistically significant in both groups. Temperature changes of the tympanic membrane were greater in the group who received both SGB and Superlizer compared to the group receiving only SGB. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that SGB followed by Superlizer has effects on the amount of increase in tympanic membrane temperature. This seems to be attributed to the increase in blood circulation of the inner ear compared with the group receiving only SGB. We came to the conclusion that in sudden deafness patients, the use of SGB combined with polarized light irradiation appears to be more effective in the treatment of sudden deafness.
Blood Circulation ; Ear, Inner ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Light ; Pain Clinics ; Porphyrins ; Prospective Studies ; Stellate Ganglion ; Stress, Psychological ; Tympanic Membrane

OBJECTIVE: To investigate relationship between anti-endothelial cell antibody(AECA) and response to dexamethasone in sudden hearing loss(SHL). METHOD: Forty-eight SHL patients and thirty normal controls with SHL were recruited in present study. AECA was detected by ELISA in serum of all normal controls and SHL patients as well as pure-tone average was examined by electronic audiometry during treatment in SHL patients. Both AECA-positive and -negative subjects received 10 mg/d venous dexamethasone for 5 days followed by gradual tapering of dose of 5 mg/d for another 5-day. Then pure-tone average was reexamined. Differences in hearing recovery between AECA-positive and -negative subjects and relationship between AECA level and hearing recovery were analyzed. RESULT: The prevalence of AECA detection was 68.75% (33 of 48 patients) in SHL patients, with significant difference compared with control subjects with 23.33% (7 of 30 controls) (P<0.01). After treatment, rates of response to dexamethasone in AECA-positive and -negative SHL patients were 81.8% (27 of 33 patients) and 33.3% (5 of 15 patients), respectively. Meanwhile, there was a significant difference in cure, excellent recovery, partly recovery and invalid between AECA-positive and -negative groups [21.2% (7/33), 33.3% (11/33), 27.3% (9/33) and 18.2% (6/33) versus 0, 13.3% (2/15), 20.0% (3/15) and 66.7% (10/15), P<0.01]. Except 5 subjects with AECA level more than 263 microg/L, hearing recovery was correlated to pretreatment AECA level (r=0.8084, P<0.01). CONCLUSION In sudden HL patients treated with dexamethasone, AECA might represent a serological marker of prognosis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Dexamethasone ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; blood ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: High dose systemic steroid therapy is currently the mainstay of the treatment for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). However, it makes a glycemic control worse in patients with diabetes. Intratympanic steroid injection (ITSI) can result in reduced systemic steroid toxicity and higher perilymph steroid level selectively. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of ITSI (IT group) with that of systemic steroid (IV group) on SSNHL with diabetes. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Thirty eight SSNHL patients who were diagnosed with diabetes were divided into the IV group (19 patients) and the IT group (19 patients). In the IV group, prednisolone was administrated intravenously for 7 days followed by tapered doses orally for 7 days. In the IT group, dexamethasone was administrated 4 times within a 2 week-period. Hearing outcome was assessed before and after treatment. RESULTS: In the IV group, 10 patients (58.8%) showed an improvement in the pure tone audiogram (PTA), with a mean improvement of 17.6 dB (p=0.023). In the IT group, 16 patients (84.2%) showed improvement in the PTA, with the mean improvement of 25.1 dB (p=0.000). But there was no significant difference in hearing gain and the recovery rate between the two groups. And it is more difficult to control blood sugar in the IV group rather than in the IT group. CONCLUSION: ITSI treatment is as effective as the systemic steroid treatment for SSNHL patients with diabetes and it can avoid a significant side effect of systemic steroids. So it could be considered as an initial treatment for the SSNHL patient with diabetes.
Blood Glucose ; Dexamethasone ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Perilymph ; Prednisolone ; Steroids

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between fibrinogen level and pathogenesis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss(SSHI.). METHOD: Fifty patients (55 ears) with SSHL within 7 days of the onset were studied: a control group was consist of 50 normal-hearing people who were individually matched on a pairwise basis according to the same gender and age. Both the patients and the normal people were tested for the parameters of hemorheology, blood biochemistry, whole blood cell count and clotting function. RESULT: Fibrinogen level and plasma viscosity in patients with SSHL were significantly higher than that in control subjects. Prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastic time were significantly less in the patients group than that in the control group (P < 0.05). There were statistical difference. The parameters of blood biochemistry, whole blood cell count and platelet adhesion test of two groups had no significant difference (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Elevated plasma fibrinogen may be a major pathogenesis of SSHL. An increase in plasma fibrinogen level may lead to elevated plasma viscosity. All these may promote a prothrombin or hypercoagulable state and impair blood perfusion of cochlea.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Fibrinogen ; metabolism ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; blood ; etiology ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; blood ; etiology ; Hemorheology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) in children is rare, accounting for less than 10% of all sudden deafness. The etiology of ISSNHL is uncertain, but viral infeqction and the distribution of blood circulation in the inner ear are suspected as the causes of the disease. Therefore, stellate ganglion block (SGB) and antiviral agent have been used for its treatment. Recently we experienced an effective series of 12 SGBs in pediatric patient with ISSNHL, with no severe complication.
Blood Circulation ; Child ; Ear, Inner ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural* ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Stellate Ganglion*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation of the onset time of sudden deafness and blood rheology using a large-scale retrospective study.

METHODSOne hundred and ninety-eight patients of sudden deafness were examined with blood rheology and compared with 60 healthy people. Thirty patients were as subjects to study the circadian of blood rheology in order to search whether the blood rheology of morning was the highest. By divided 24 hours into twelve groups, each group contained two hours. Then the 198 patients were separated into twelve groups according to the time of onset. The blood rheology of each group was analyzed and compared with each other to observe which group was the highest.

RESULTSMost blood rheology index of the patients were higher than that of the healthy people. The onset time in most of the patients was during 4 am-8 am, but 45 patients during 4 am-6 am and 40 patients during 6 am-8 am. By analyzing and comparing the blood rheology of each group, the results showed that the blood rheology index in the group of 4 am-8 am was highest. And the blood rheology index of sudden deafness was highest in the morning.

CONCLUSIONSThere was a close relation between blood rheology and sudden deafness. The peak time of onset was 4 am-8 am, and the patients whose blood rheology were the highest should be more predisposed to sudden deafness than the other patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Circadian Rhythm ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; blood ; physiopathology ; Hemorheology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult