Increased neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine whether neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) levels are elevated in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL) compared with healthy controls. Moreover, we aimed to find out whether there is a correlation between NLR levels and the severity of hearing loss.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study group consisted of 40 subjects with ISSHL and 40 control subjects with no evidence of ear pathology. Severity of hearing loss in the ISSHL patients was classified as mild (<40 dB loss for any frequency), moderate (up to 80 dB), and severe (profound, >80 dB).

RESULTS

The mean ± SD NLR values were 5.53 ± 1.72 in the ISHHL patients and 2.73 ± 0.81 in the control group. The mean NLR values in the patients with ISHHL were significantly higher than in the control group (P = 0.0001). The mean ± SD NLR values in the patients with mild (group A), moderate (group B), and severe (group C) sensorineural hearing loss were 5.53 ± 1.72, 5.29 ± 1.81, and 5.82 ± 1.72, respectively. The mean NLR values in the patients with severe sensorineural hearing loss were significantly higher than in the other groups (P = 0.0001). Nevertheless, there was no correlation between NLR values and severity of hearing loss.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no previous study that investigated the association between NLR and ISSHL in the literature. High NLR values in ISSHL patients may be a predictor of other ishemic conditions such as coronary or cerebral ischemia. Thus, the otorhinolaryngologist would then refer the patient to cardiology and then neurology specialists for the appropriate examinations.