Plasma Levels of Interleukin 2 (IL-2) Associated with Hearing Loss Evaluation in the Elderly.

CONTEXT: Presbycusis can be mediated by the effects of inflammatory processes on the auditory system, and these aging biological mechanisms remain poorly studied. AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine whether plasma biomarkers are associated with hearing disorders caused by aging in the elderly. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Cross-sectional study with 106 participants in the Active Aging Project, 93 (88%) females and 13 (12%) males, with an average age of 70 years. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Audiological evaluation was performed with pure tone audiometry and collection of peripheral blood for the measurement of plasma levels of interleukins 2, 4, 6, and 10, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interferon-γ by means of flow cytometry. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The SPSS (v.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA) was used for the analysis of the data obtained. For all data analyzed, the significance level adopted was P < 0.05 and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: There were statistically significant correlations between male and IL-2 (P = 0.031; rs = 0.210), mean II of the right ear (P = 0.004; rs = 0.279), longer in years (P = 0.002; rs = 0.307) and in hours (P = 0.004; rs = 0.281) of noise exposure also in males. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, there was an association between the male gender and higher plasma levels of IL-2, an increase in the average hearing in the right ear, and greater time in years and hours of exposure to noise. There was a predominance of mild sensorineural hearing loss and worsening of hearing related to age, characteristics of presbycusis.

Relationship Between Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Neurotrophin-3 Levels and Hearing Thresholds in Patients With Age-Related Hearing Loss.

BACKGROUND: Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a general term used to describe the sensorineural type of hearing loss occurring in both ears in older adults. Neurotrophins are the most promising candidates for supporting the auditory nerve by increasing neuronal survival. This study aimed to help elucidate the pathophysiology of ARHL by determining whether any relationship exists between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) levels in serum samples from patients diagnosed with ARHL. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Seventy-seven individuals, a study group of 41 patients diagnosed with ARHL, and a control group of 36 participants without hearing loss were evaluated. Serum samples were collected and used to measure serum BDNF and NT-3 levels with the new Nepenthe enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. RESULTS: Median pure-tone average results in the 2000, 4000, and 6000 Hz ranges were 52.5 (44.3-67.3) dB HL in the ARHL group and 13.5 (11.1-17.1) dB HL in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (p = .001). Although NT-3 and BDNF levels were both lower in ARHL patients than in participants without hearing loss, only the BDNF levels were significantly (p = .002) lower. Mean left and right ear word recognition scores were also lower in ARHL patients than in control groups. The ARHL group was further divided into two subgroups based on word recognition scores to evaluate significant differences in BDNF and NT-3 levels. No statistically significant difference was observed in BDNF and NT-3 levels between these subgroups. However, there was a significant difference in word recognition scores. CONCLUSIONS: Low BDNF levels in the ARHL group suggest that BDNF may play a role in the pathogenesis of ARHL. Patients with low (ARHL1) and high (ARHL2) word recognition scores were compared for the first time in the literature in terms of BDNF and NT-3 levels. However, the results were not statistically significant. This article is a preliminary study and was written to provide guidance for our next comprehensive project.

Perfil lipídico de la sordera ligada al envejecimiento / Lipid profile and hearing-loss aged-related

Objetivo y antecedentes: La sordera ligada al envejecimiento es la causa más frecuente de sordera a partir de los 65 años, pero su patogenia es aún mal conocida. El objetivo de este estudio es valorar el impacto de la hiperlipemia en su patogenia. Ámbito del estudio: Población mayor de 65 años del área de Salud de El Bierzo. Pacientes: Incluimos en el estudio 180 pacientes con hipoacusia neurosensorial bilateral, sin antecedentes de patología renal, neurológica, tiroidea o de oído medio. Intervenciones: Se realizó audiometría tonal y estudio de lípidos plasmáticos (colesterol, HDL, LDL y triglicéridos). Se utilizan métodos estadísticos. Resultados: Los más destacados fueron: 1) el 71% de los pacientes presentaban niveles altos de lípidos en sangre, sobre todo las mujeres entre 65-69 años (media 256 mg/dl); 2) los hombres entre 65-69 años presentaban un alto índice aterogénico (media 5,27); 3) los pacientes con hiperlipemia presentaban peor audición (p < .05). Conclusiones: Nuestros resultados sugieren que los lípidos están implicados en el envejecimiento de la vía auditiva por un mecanismo aterogénico (AU)

Objectives/hypothesis: Presbycusis is the most prevalent cause of hearing-loss in the older, but pathogenesis is not well-know. The premise of this study is that hyperlipemia increase risk of age-related hearing-loss. Patients and methods: 180 patient more than 65 years-old were studied. All patients had bilateral hearing-loss and no renal, neurological, thyriod or middle-ear pathology. We explored serum levels of cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides. We performed tonal audiometry in all patients. Results: The 71% of patients has hypercholesteremia and the highest serum levels were detected in 65-69 years old men (mean media 5,27). Patients with hypercholesteremia had worse hearing-loss than patients with normal lipid serum levels (p < .05). Conclusions: Our study suggest that hypercholesteremia are associated to age-related hearing-loss, possibly by an atherosclerosis mechanism (AU)

Alteraciones en la viscosidad sanguínea en pacientes con presbiacusia / Blood viscosity modifications in patients bearing of presbyacusis

Objetivo: Evaluar la presencia de alteraciones en la viscosidad sanguínea en la presbiacusia como eventual mecanismo fisiopatológico. Material y métodos: Fueron incluídos 9 sujetos de 75 años de edad con hipoacusia neurosensorial bilateral lentamente progresiva, estudiados una vez anualmente durante 10 años consecutivos, valorando pérdida auditiva binaural en frecuencias conversacionales (500, 1000,2000 y 3000 Hz). El perfil hemorreológico en sangre periférica valoró viscosidad en sangre total (VST) a diferentes velocidades decizallamiento (VC), filtrabilidad sanguínea (FS), deformabilidad y agregabilidad eritrocitarias (AE). Resultados: Todos los parámetros tendieron a la hiperviscosidad, con VST a altas VC y AE en estasis total elevadas a los 10 años de forma estadísticamente significativa. La intensidad de la hipoacusia se correlacionó significativamente con los valores bajos de FS y los incrementos en VST a altas VC. Conclusiones: Los pacientes presbiacúsicos muestran evidencias hemorreológicas que sugieren tendencia a la hiperviscosidad como factor predisponente de la hipoacusia (AU)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the existence of blood viscosity alterations in presbyacusis as an eventual pathophysiological mechanism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nine 75 year-old subjects bearing of bilateral slowly progressive sensorineural deafness were considered to be studied on a yearly basis in a ten year folow-up period, evaluating the binaural hearing loss in speech tones (500, 1000, 2000 and 3000 Hz). Hemorheological profile on peripheral blood included total blood viscosity (BV) at different shear rates (SR), blood filterability (BF), erythrocyte deformability and aggregability (EA). RESULTS: There was a trend of all parameters towards hyperviscosity, with an increase at ten years of BV at high SR and EA at total stasis which were statistically significant. The level of deafness correlated significativelly to low values of BF and increases on BV at high SR. CONCLUSIONS: Presbyacustic patients do show hemorheological evidences that suggest a tendency towards hyperviscosity as a predisposing factor for hearing loss (AU)

Deterioro en la viscosidad sanguínea como factor etiopatogénico de la presbiacusia / Blood viscosity impairment as an etiopathogenic factor in presbyacusis

OBJETIVOS: Valorar en individuos mayores de 65 años la eventual correlación entre predisposición a la presbiacusia e hiperviscosidad sanguínea. PACIENTES Y MÉTODOS: Estudio sobre 20 individuos normooyentes y 80 afectos de hipoacusia perceptiva bilateral simétrica y progresiva de los siguientes parámetros hemorreológicos: filtrabilidad, deformabilidad y agregabilidad eritrocitaria, así como viscosidad en sangre total a diferentes velocidades de cizallamiento. Todos ellos con más de 65 años de edad. RESULTADOS: Se detectaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en todos los parámetros medidos comparando individuos normooyentes y presbiacúsicos. La pérdida auditiva media se correlacionó de forma significativa con elevaciones en la agregabilidad eritrocitaria y con la viscosidad en sangre total a velocidades de cizallamiento altas (p< 0,01). Este último valor se correlacionó además con la pérdida auditiva en 2 kHz, y el descenso en la filtrabilidad eritrocitaria lo hizo con las pérdidas en 4 y 8 kHz. CONCLUSIONES: Existe un marcado deterioro en las propiedades viscoelásticas de la sangre entre sujetos mayores de 65 años afectos de presbiacusia. Un tratamiento preventivo de estas modificaciones podría reducir la incidencia de hipoacusia progresiva degenerativa en ancianos (AU)