Pathologic Erythrocyte Deformability in Patients With Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Abstract Objective To evaluate if viscoelastic properties of blood influence suffering sudden sensorineural hearing loss and the capacity to respond after a specific therapy. Patients and methods A longitudinal prospective study included 85 ears bearing sudden deafness. In them, the mean hearing loss compared to the healthy ear and the recovery ratio were measured at the onset and 6 months after a treatment with corticoids and piracetam. In addition, tinnitus or vestibular symptoms, whole blood filterability (WBF) and erythrocyte deformability–by means of the erythrocyte rigidity index (ERI)–were determined and noted at the beginning and the end of the study. Results Mean hearing loss was 30.3%±19.7% at the onset, and 25.8%±39% at the end. Forty-one ears showed a recovery of more than 75%. In these (48% of the entire study group), an increase in WBF and a decrease in ERI were observed ( P Conclusions The blood viscosity parameters WBF and ERI offer useful information about the risk of suffering sudden deafness and the capacity to recover hearing with reactive therapies.