The relationship between thiol-disulfide balance and idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Impaired cochlear perfusion is a major etiological factor in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Oxidative stress has been shown to be a risk factor for oxidative damage.

We investigated the role of oxidative stress in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss by comparing serum levels of oxidant and antioxidant molecules including thiol/disulfide homeostasis paraoxonase, stimulated thiol/disulfide homeostasis paraoxonase, arylesterase, ceruloplasmin and myeloperoxidase in patients who did and did not recover after treatment.

The amount of dynamic disulfide was calculated by determining half of the difference between the total thiols and native thiols. After the determination of native, total thiol, and disulfide amounts, the disulfide/total thiol percent ratio, native thiol/total thiol ratio and disulfide/native thiol percent ratio were calculated and then compared between the two groups. Additionally, clinical relationship between audiological recovery and native thiol, disulfide, disulfide/native thiol percent ratio, and disulfide/total thiol percent ratio levels was investigated. Blood samples were also analyzed for the assessment of thiol/disulfide homeostasis paraoxonase, stimulated thiol/disulfide homeostasis paraoxonase, arylesterase, ceruloplasmin, and myeloperoxidase levels.

A significant difference was found between the two groups with regard to total oxidant status disulfide, disulfide/native thiol percent ratio, disulfide/total thiol percent ratio, and native thiol/total thiol ratio levels (p =  0.001, p =  0.001, p =  0.001, p =  0.003, p =  0.001, p =  0.002, respectively). However, no significant difference was found between the two groups with regard to thiol/disulfide homeostasis paraoxonase, stimulated thiol/disulfide homeostasis paraoxonase, ceruloplasmin, and myeloperoxidase levels (p >  0.05 for all).

The results supported the common hypothesis that vascular pathologies are the primary cause of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss and that other etiological factors ultimately result in vascular pathologies. The oxidant-antioxidant and thiol-disulfide balances were impaired in the idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss group.