Association between otolin-1 and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: A meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Otorhinolaryngology
• Biomarker Discovery
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a common vestibular disorder.
• Inner ear proteins are being investigated as potential serum biomarkers for inner ear diseases.
• Otolin-1, an inner ear-specific protein, is found in the serum of BPPV patients.

Approach:

• A meta-analysis was performed on studies published between January 2010 and February 2022.
• Searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and CNKI databases.
• Pooled data using mean differences and 95% confidence intervals, assessing heterogeneity and publication bias.

Key Points:

• Included six studies with 585 participants.
• Serum otolin-1 levels were significantly higher in BPPV patients versus healthy controls (MD: 165.38, 95% CI: 110.13-220.64, p < 0.00001).
• No significant publication bias was detected, and sensitivity analysis confirmed result reliability.

Conclusions:

• Elevated serum otolin-1 levels are associated with BPPV.
• Otolin-1 shows potential as a diagnostic biomarker for BPPV onset.