title: Antigen non-specific immunological tests in progressive sensorineural hearing loss.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to determine the validity of antigen non-specific immunological tests in order to develop a risk-clinical profile of patients with immune-mediated inner ear pathology. The study was carried out on 38 patients with progressive sensorineural hearing loss and a control group of 26 subjects. Serological testing was used to determine cell activation complexes. In patients with hearing loss, T-lymphocyte subpopulations were found to have an increase in cytotoxic T-cells when compared to T-helper, but only for interleukin-2 receptor expression. This difference was significant between patients and the control group. Present findings suggest that T-lymphocyte "early" marker is of particular interest for developing a risk-clinical profile of patients with sensorineural progressive hearing loss of immune origin.
authors.affiliation: ENT Clinic, Padua University, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Savastano
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raffael
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Franchis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andreoli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D003450:Cryoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D007159:Immunologic Tests; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic
chemical_list: D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D003450:Cryoglobulins; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D003165:Complement System Proteins; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor