Reduced erythrocyte deformability and hypercoagulability in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
OBJECTIVE
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is a frequent disease whose aetiology is still unknown in about 80% of patients. Aim of this study was to evaluate if haemorheological changes and some indexes of hypercoagulability and hypofibrinolysis are associated with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL).


METHODS
We studied 63 patients with ISSHL and 67 healthy control subjects, matched for age, sex and traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Haemorheological studies were performed by assessing whole blood viscosity (WBV) at 0.512 s(-1) and 94.5 s(-1), plasma viscosity (PLV) and erythrocyte deformability index (DI). To assess whole blood coagulation Sonoclot analysis was performed. Sonoclot variables studied were Sonoclot activated clotting time (SonACT), clot rate and time to peak. Fibrinogen, PAI-1 antigen (ag) and factor VIII:C plasma levels were also measured.


RESULTS
WBV, PLV, SonACT, clot rate, time to peak, PAI-1ag and factor VIII:C were significantly altered in patients in comparison with controls (p<0.05). A multivariate analysis (adjusted for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, hematocrit, fibrinogen, haemostatic and haemorheological variables) indicated that WBV at 94.5 s(-1), DI, SonACT, clot rate, PAI-1ag plasma levels and factor VIII:C activity were independently associated with ISSHL (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The observed changes in viscosity, blood clotting and fibrinolysis may contribute, at least in part, to the pathophysiological mechanism of ISSHL.
Mannini
Lucia
L
Dipartimento di Area Critica Medico-Chirurgica, Centro Trombosi, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Firenze, Italy.
Paniccia
Rita
R
Cecchi
Emanuele
E
Alessandrello Liotta
Agatina
A
Leprini
Emanuela
E
Berloco
Pasquale
P
Pagnini
Paolo
P
Abbate
Rosanna
R
Franco Gensini
Gian
G
Prisco
Domenico
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D018056:Hemorheology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D019851:Thrombophilia
D015415:Biomarkers