Hyperfibrinogenemia as a Risk Factor for Sudden Hearing Loss

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To clarify predisposing conditions for vascular events. SETTING: Vascular events, immunologic processes, and viral infections have to be considered as pathomechanisms for most cases of sudden hearing loss. STUDY DESIGN: Hemorrheologic parameters were studied in 53 patients with sudden hearing loss within 5 days of the onset. PATIENTS: A control group of 53 normal-hearing people was matched pairwise according to age and gender. RESULTS: Fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in patients with sudden hearing loss (343 +/- 98 mg/dl) than in control subjects (303 +/- 69 mg/dl). Erythrocyte aggregation (27.3 +/- 5.6 a.u. versus 20.9 +/- 8.5 a.u.) and plasma viscosity (1.31 +/- 0.13 mPa/s versus 1.26 +/- 0.08 mPa/s) in patients with SHL were also significantly higher than in control subjects. No significant difference could be found in the parameters of clinical chemistry, hematology, and hemostasias investigated. CONCLUSION: Because elevated plasma fibrinogen plays a major role in cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke, it is possible that this plasma protein is also involved in the pathogenesis of sudden hearing loss of vascular origin. More research is still required to determine the value of measuring plasma fibrinogen levels in clinical practice and identifying hyperfibrinogenemia in sudden hearing loss.