Tinnitus, hearing loss and inflammatory processes in an older Portuguese population

Haider, Ha�la F.; Ribeiro, Sara F.; Martins, Catarina; Ribeiro, Diogo; Trigueiros, Nuno; Szczepek, Agnieszka J.; Caria, Helena; Hoare, Derek J.; Pa�o, Jo�o; Borrego, Lu�s-Miguel

Abstract

Objective: Tinnitus is associated with various conditions such as presbycusis, infectious, autoimmune and many other diseases. Our study aims to identify an association between inflammatory markers and the presence of tinnitus or hearing loss (HL).

Design: Exploratory study including a structured interview, complete ENT observation, audiological and inflammatory markers evaluation.
Study Sample: Sixty women and 54 men (55 to 75 years) from the Portuguese population, with or without sensory presbycusis and/or tinnitus.

Results: IL10 levels were significantly lower in participants with tinnitus than in those without tinnitus. Moreover, TGF-β was lower in older participants (p = 0.034), IL1α was higher in participants with tonal tinnitus (p = 0.033), and IL2 was lower in participants who reported partial or complete residual inhibition (p = 0.019). Additionally, we observed a negative correlation between tinnitus duration and IL10 levels (r= −.281), and between HSP70 levels and tinnitus loudness (r= −.377). TNF-α and HSP70 levels appears to be sensitive to the time when samples were collected (morning or afternoon).

Conclusions: The results of our study showing fluctuations in inflammatory markers along the hearing loss process, reinforce the idea that inflammatory mechanisms are involved in hearing loss pathogenesis but also in tinnitus. IL10 levels appear significantly altered in tinnitus but not in hearing loss.

Citation

Haider, H. F., Ribeiro, S. F., Martins, C., Ribeiro, D., Trigueiros, N., Szczepek, A. J., …Borrego, L.-M. (2019). Tinnitus, hearing loss and inflammatory processes in an older Portuguese population. International Journal of Audiology, 59(5), 323-332. https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2019.1698775

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 8, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Dec 12, 2019
• Publication Date: Dec 12, 2019
• Deposit Date: Dec 21, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 13, 2020
• Journal: International Journal of Audiology
• Print ISSN: 1499-2027
• Electronic ISSN: 1708-8186
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 59
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 323-332
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2019.1698775
• Keywords: Tinnitus, Inflammatory biomarkers, ARHL (age-related hearing loss), Oxidative stress
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3610504
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14992027.2019.1698775
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of Audiology on 12/12/2019, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/14992027.2019.1698775