Folic acid and vitamin-B 12 in idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss in children

Aim The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of vitamin-B 12 and folate blood concentrations in children suffering from moderate, severe, and severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Materials and methods This study was conducted on 95 children: 30 children with severe-to-profound SNHL who were scheduled for cochlear implantation, 25 children who are hearing aid users for moderate and severe SNHL, and another 40 healthy volunteers considered as the control group. Full audiological examination was performed to all children, as well as computed tomographic scan and MRI to temporal bone were performed for the SNHL groups. Results Median vitamin-B 12 and folic acid levels were significantly higher in the control group 3 than in the SNHL groups 1 and 2 patients ( P 0.001). There was no significant correlation between vitamin-B 12 and folic acid levels and the other parameters. There was no significant difference between groups 1 and 2 with respect to median vitamin-B 12 and folic acid level. Conclusion Study demonstrated that the serum levels of folate and vitamin-B 12 are decreased in patients with SNHL. Measurement of folic acid and vitamin-B 12 in patients suffering SNHL might be useful. These data may give us some clues about how hearing loss is developed in these patients.