Peripheral cytokines disturbance in patients with vestibular neuritis.

BACKGROUND

Vestibular neuritis (VN) is characterized by a sudden spontaneous vertigo without any other associated neurological signs, while the underlying mechanism of VN remains unclear.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate the regulation of the peripheral Th1 and Th2 balance and changes in related cytokines and clarify the possible dominance of immuno-inflammatory reaction in VN.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with VN from symptom onset and age-and gender-matched healthy controls were recruited. The peripheral blood levels of cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined and analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of participants that included 74 VN patients and 116 controls were included. No statistically significant differences were found in body mass index (BMI), comorbidities between both groups (p > 0.05). The levels of plasma IL-2 and IFN-γ in patients with VN were significantly lower when compared with the healthy control subjects (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: There was an imbalance in the expression of Th1 and Th2 cytokines in patients with VN and it do not support the profound involvement of systemic inflammatory components in VN pathophysiology.