[Blood viscosity modifications in patients with presbycusis].

OBJECTIVE

[corrected] To evaluate the existence of blood viscosity alterations in presbyacusis as an eventual pathophysiological mechanism.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Nine 75 year-old subjects bearing of bilateral slowly progressive sensorineural deafness were considered to be studied on a yearly basis in a ten year folow-up period, evaluating the binaural hearing loss in speech tones (500, 1000, 2000 and 3000 Hz). Hemorheological profile on peripheral blood included total blood viscosity (BV) at different shear rates (SR), blood filterability (BF), erythrocyte deformability and aggregability (EA).

RESULTS

There was a trend of all parameters towards hyperviscosity, with an increase at ten years of BV at high SR and EA at total stasis which were statistically significant. The level of deafness correlated significativelly to low values of BF and increases on BV at high SR.

CONCLUSIONS

Presbyacustic patients do show hemorheological evidences that suggest a tendency towards hyperviscosity as a predisposing factor for hearing loss.