title: Endothelial progenitor cells in patients with age-related hearing loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to determine the concentration of EPCs in patients with ARHL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients with ARHL were evaluated. The number of EPCs was analyzed by flow cytometry analysis of peripheral blood CD34(+)/CD133(+) cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentration of circulating EPCs, both for CD34(+)/CD133(+) cells, was significantly lower in ARHL patients compared to controls (P<0.05). No statistically significant differences were found between these two groups in terms of the level of total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides and GLU.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The possible role of circulating epithelial progenitor cells in the pathogenesis of age related hearing loss should be considered based on their significant reduction in patients with ARHL, although the association alone does not prove causality. Further studies were warranted to confirm the role of circulating EPCs in the pathogenesis of ARHL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Jian-ning
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, China. Electronic address: zhouhf621@163.com.
authors.forename: Hui-fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D066026:Endothelial Progenitor Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011304:Presbycusis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides