Is atrial fibrillation a risk factor for hearing loss?

OBJECTIVE: In the present study, we sought to evaluate the results of hearing loss in AF patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study involved 50 patients with AF, as determined by means of electrocardiogram, and 50 patients without AF. The pure-tone audiometry (PTA) threshold values were measured at low, medium and high frequencies for both ears. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) DPOAEs and TEOAEs were also analyzed for both ears separately. RESULTS: Both the airway and bone conduction PTA thresholds at 3, 4 and 6 kHz (kilohertz) were significantly lower in the AF group than in the control group (p<0.05). The AF patients exhibited worse hearing and worse TEOAE results at 1, 2, 3 and 4 kHz. In fact, the TEOAE amplitudes of the AF group were significantly lower in both the right and left ears at 2, 3 and 4 kHz when compared with the control group (p<0.05). Moreover, the DPOAE amplitudes in the AF group were statistically significantly lower at 3.4 kHz in both ears when compared with the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In light of these findings, we believe that AF is a risk factor for hearing.

Impact of right ventricular diastolic dysfunction on clinical outcomes in inferior STEMI.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of restrictive right ventricular filling pattern (RRVFP) in patients with the first acute inferior wall myocardial infarction (IWMI) complicated by right ventricular myocardial infarction (RVMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (p-PCI). METHOD: A total of 152 patients with acute IWMI complicated by RVMI undergoing p­PCI were divided into two groups according to the presence of RRVFP. RRVFP was defined as tricuspid diastolic early/late flow velocities (Et/At) > 2 and Et deceleration time (DT) < 120 ms. RESULTS: There were 23 patients with RRVFP in the study cohort. At, DTt, isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT), and tissue Doppler tricuspid annular late velocity (A't) were reduced significantly in patients with RRVFP than in those without RRVFP (At 19.6 ± 2.7 vs. 39.1 ± 7.4 cm/s, p < 0.001; DTt 106 ± 13 vs.156 ± 21 ms, p = 0.001; IVRT 59 ± 6.7 vs. 62 ± 7.4 ms, p = 0.01; A't 4.6 ± 1.1 vs. 8.6 ± 1.05, p = 0.001). Et/At ratios were higher in patients with RRVFP than in those without RRVFP (Et/At 2.20 ± 0.2 vs. 1.15 ± 0.37, p < 0.001). Et, tissue Doppler tricuspid annular early velocity (E't), E't/A't ratio, and Et/E't ratio were not significantly different between groups (Et 43.3 ± 5.4 vs. 40.7 ± 9.2 cm/s p = 0.18; E't 8.8 ± 1.4 vs. 9.5 ± 2.3, p = 0.15; E't/A't 1.08 ± 0.24 vs. 1.13 ± 0.30, p = 0.52; Et/E't ratio 5.0 ± 1.1 vs. 4.5 ± 1.5 p = 0.09). Presence of E't/A't > 2, short DTt, RRVFP, unsuccessful p­PCI, and cardiogenic shock on admission were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality (p < 0.05) in multivariable logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Presence of RRVFP is associated with in-hospital mortality in patients presenting with their first IWMI complicated by RVMI.