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Neuro-rehabilitation Approach for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Published on: January 25, 2016
Serum HSP70 Levels in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Their Modulation after Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: A
Yavuz Aslan1, Samil Aktas2, Pervin Vural3
1Department of Underwater and Hyperbaric Medicine, Sultan 2. Abdulhamid Han Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Science, Istanbul, Turkey.
Ear, Nose, & Throat Journal
|July 20, 2026
Summary
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) involves higher heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) levels, indicating systemic stress. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) reduced HSP70 in SSNHL and other conditions, suggesting stress modulation.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Biochemistry
- Physiology
Background:
- Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is linked to inflammatory, hypoxic, and cellular stress pathways.
- Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), a stress-responsive protein, may indicate systemic stress during inner ear injury.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze serum HSP70 changes during hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in SSNHL patients.
- To compare HSP70 dynamics in SSNHL patients with those receiving HBOT for other conditions.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, non-randomized controlled study with 50 patients (25 SSNHL, 25 non-SSNHL HBOT).
- HBOT administered at 2.4 ATA for 120 minutes/session, 5 days/week for 20 sessions.
- Serum HSP70 measured pre- and post-HBOT; audiometry performed in SSNHL group.
Main Results:
- SSNHL patients had higher baseline serum HSP70 than non-SSNHL HBOT patients (249.84 vs 192.00 ng/mL).
- Serum HSP70 significantly decreased in both groups post-HBOT (p<0.001), with similar percentage reductions.
- Audiometric improvement observed in SSNHL group (p<0.001), with earlier HBOT linked to better recovery (p=0.007).
Conclusions:
- SSNHL is associated with elevated circulating HSP70, suggesting increased systemic stress.
- HBOT significantly reduces serum HSP70 in both SSNHL and non-SSNHL patients, indicating systemic stress modulation.
- Audiometric findings in SSNHL should be interpreted cautiously due to concomitant corticosteroid use and study design.
