title: Altered chromogranin A circulating levels in Meniere's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Meniere's disease (MD) is an inner ear disorder characterized by episodic vertigo, ear fullness, and hearing loss; usually vertigo attacks cluster in specific period. We studied in MD patients the circulating levels of chromogranin A (CgA) and vasostatin-1 (VS-1), secreted by the neuroendocrine system and involved in the regulation of the endothelial barrier function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum levels were assessed in 37 MD patients and 36 controls. The ratio between VS-1 and CgA was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CgA was increased in patients compared to controls (1.46 versus 0.67 nM, p = 0.01) while no difference was detected for VS-1 (0.41 versus 0.39, resp.). CgA levels in patients positively correlated with the frequency of vertigo spells in the previous four weeks (p = 0.008) and negatively with the time in days from the last vertigo attack (p = 0.018). Furthermore, the VS-1/CgA ratio negatively correlated with the frequency of vertigo spells (p = 0.029) and positively correlated with the time from the last attack (p = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that variations of CgA levels, but not of VS-1, occur in the blood of patients with active MD, depending on the frequency of vertigo spells and the time from the last crisis.
authors.affiliation: ENT Division, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teggi
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Oncology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: ENT Division, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trimarchi
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Oncology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Mimma
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells & Gene Therapy, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manfredi
authors.affiliation: ENT Division, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bussi
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Oncology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0893-6191
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D053379:Chromogranin A / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053379:Chromogranin A