title: Red blood cell distribution width predicts prognosis in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Red cell distribution width (RDW) can predict outcome in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL). Further studies are required to clarify the potential pathophysiological explanations for these findings.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  RDW is one of the parameters reported in a complete blood count, and is elevated in direct proportion to variation in red cell size (anisocytosis). High RDW values are strongly associated with poor clinical outcomes in various diseases, including inflammatory and thrombotic diseases. To identify a prognostic biomarker that better predicts outcomes after ISSNHL, the association between RDW values at hospitalization and prognosis in patients with ISSNHL was assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study measured RDW and performed hearing assessments in 89 consecutive patients with ISSNHL. Patients were then divided into two groups ('recovered' and 'unrecovered'), according to their response to the treatment, and further analysis undertaken.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean RDW was significantly higher in the unrecovered group (13.2% ± 1.0% compared with 12.7% ± 0.7% in the recovered group, p = 0.031). After adjusting for potentially confounding factors in a binary logistic regression model, only RDW was associated with recovery from ISSNHL (odds ratio = 2.33, 95% confidence interval = 1.20-4.51, p = 0.012).
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology , Aichi Medical University , Aichi , Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nonoyama
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology , Aichi Medical University , Aichi , Japan.
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanigawa
authors.affiliation: b Department of Cardiology , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine , Nagoya , Japan.
authors.forename: Rei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.affiliation: c Department of Otolaryngology , Yoshida General Hospital , Hiroshima , Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakao
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology , Aichi Medical University , Aichi , Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Horibe
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology , Aichi Medical University , Aichi , Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katahira
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology , Aichi Medical University , Aichi , Japan.
authors.forename: Kunihiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.affiliation: d Division of Biostatistics, Clinical Research Center , Aichi Medical University , Aichi , Japan.
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murotani
authors.affiliation: b Department of Cardiology , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine , Nagoya , Japan.
authors.forename: Toyoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murohara
authors.affiliation: a Department of Otolaryngology , Aichi Medical University , Aichi , Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ueda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000097:blood*; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Outcome; red blood cell distribution width; sudden sensorineural hearing loss