Sera from 76 patients with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic rapidly progressive sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) (n = 15), sudden deafness (n = 31) and with other etiologies of their hearing loss (n = 30) were analysed by western blot assay. Seventy-three percent of the cases with rapidly progressive SNHL had cross-reacting antibodies (27, 45, 50, 68 kD). The overall response to immunoprogressive therapy was effective in only 50% of cases. Sixty-five percent of the patients with sudden deafness also had cross-reacting antibodies (27, 45, 50, 80 kD). In these cases steroid therapy was more effective in re-establishing the hearing than no treatment, regardless of the western blot outcome. Spontaneous recovery occurred in approx. 50% of cases, but only in those with a positive assay. The antigenic epitopes detected with immunoblotting were not cochlea specific; they were also found in protein extracts of other organs (cranial nerves, kidney, brain).

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The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) is influenced by the nasal cycle. Nasal patency was assessed by active anterior rhinomanometry and immediately followed by measuring CBF in biopsies taken from the posterior aspect of the inferior turbinates in 22 healthy volunteers. CBF was determined in three different cells of each biopsy by means of a phase-contrast microscope and a photo-electrical cell. The signal was analyzed by a computed power spectrum. The frequency and its shift were calculated for a period of 20 s. The results were as follows: (1) no correlation was found between CBF and nasal patency; (2) CBF in one cell is constant to a high degree; (3) CBF of different cells in the same biopsy specimen varies considerably.

Systemic immunization with swine inner ear antigens in complete Freund's adjuvant induces functional disturbances in the cochlea. Morphometric data indicate that an endolymphatic hydrops develops within 2 weeks. It diminishes 6 weeks after immunization. A progressive decrease in the compound action potential amplitude is observed from 2 to 6 weeks after immunization. Enhancement of the amplitude of the summating potential is present without a clear overall correlation to the presence of endolymphatic hydrops. The amplitude of the cochlear microphonics shows no significant changes after immunization. Western blot analysis of the sera performed 2 and 6 weeks after immunization shows enhanced reactivity at 68, 50, 45, and 27 kd molecular weights, as compared to controls. The same spectrum of cross-reacting antibodies is believed to be instrumental in immune-mediated sensorineural hearing loss in patients. Apparently, cross-reacting antibodies and released mediators disturb cochlear homeostasis, resulting in the observed changes in the electrophysiological responses. However, these changes are not clearly related to structural changes at the light and electron microscopic levels.

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