title: Evaluation of plasma fibronectine level as a probable indicator for tympanosclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Wound healing, epithelial regrowth and collagen synthesis are very important factors in the repair of the traumatised tympanic membrane. The aim of the present study was to determine the role of plasma fibronectine in the aetiopathogenesis of tympanosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study included 58 patients with and 49 without tympanosclerosis. No inflammation or trauma was noted in either patient group. All patients underwent otoscopic and otomicroscopic examination, and the degree of tympanosclerosis was graded from mild (stage I) to severe (stage III). Following otological examination, blood samples were taken for plasma fibronectine measurement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following otoscopic and otomicroscopic examinations, patients' tympanosclerosis was graded as follows: 18 patients were stage I; 29 were stage II; and 11 were stage III. Statistical analyses revealed that the plasma fibronectine concentrations were significantly lower in the study group compared with the control group (p = 0.031). In addition, fibronectine levels were lowest in the patients with severest tympanosclerosis (p = 0.0001 in each comparison).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study show that serum fibronectine is important in the development and severity of tympanosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Mersin University School of Medicine, Turkey. kgorur@mersin.edu.tr
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Görür
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Görüroğlu Oztürk
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Polat
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vayisoğlu
authors.forename: D U
authors.initials: DU
authors.lastname: Talas
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Güner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozcan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D038781:Otoscopy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012598:Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005353:Fibronectins