Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the effects of ABO blood groups on prognosis and distribution of disease in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) as a hematological and vascular parameter.

METHODS: Medical records of 78 patients (44 males, 34 females; mean age 45.6 years; range, 14 to 80 years) treated for ISSNHL in our clinic between January 2008 and June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were separated as A, B, AB and O groups regardless of their Rh factors. Distribution of ISSNHL was examined in the groups. Hearing gain after treatment was compared according to patients’ blood groups in terms of prognosis.

RESULTS: There were 32 group A (41%), 13 group B (16.7%), four group AB (5.1%) and 29 group O (37.2%) patients. No significant difference was observed when the blood group distribution of patients was compared to the local ABO blood group distribution in Istanbul city (p>0.05). There was no significant difference between patients’ age and gender distribution (p>0.05). The measurements of hearing thresholds at 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, 4000 Hz and 8000 Hz frequencies were significantly lower after treatment (p<0.05); however, no significant difference was detected between the groups in terms of prognosis (p>0.05). Pre- and post-treatment audiometric examination of patients did not show any significant difference in terms of hearing thresholds (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION: According to our findings, ABO blood group system does not affect the distribution and prognosis of ISSNHL.