The relation between idiopathic subjective tinnitus and risk factors for venous and arterial thrombosis

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between tinnitus and the factors that cause the tendency to thrombosis in terms of gender.Material and Methods: Fifty-five consecutive patients who admitted to our clinic with the complaint of idiopathic subjective tinnitus were included in this study. Routine ENT (ear nose throat) examinations and pure tone audiometry test were performed. Prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, Triglycerides, antithrombin III (AT III), protein C, protein S, homocysteine, antiphospholipid and anticardiolipin antibodies were examined in blood samples of patients. Temporal bone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed all patients. The results of the patients were compared in terms of gender and age groups (40 age).Results: The study was completed with 47 patients. Twenty-four of the patients were female and 23 were male. Both genders groups were similar in terms of age and pure tone average. Antiphospholipid and anticardiyolipin antibodies (IgG and IgM) were found as negative in all patients. Homocysteine levels were found to be statistically significantly higher in males than females (p=0.015; respectively 13.38±5.98 µmol/L and 9.87±3.11 µmol/L). AT III and Protein S levels were lower in males than females although this difference was not statistically significant (respectively p=0.07 and p=0.08)Conclusion: In this study, an association was shown between hyperhomocysteinemia and tinnitus, especially in males. Keywords: Tinnitus; tinnitus of vascular origin; thrombosis; gender role.