Objective: To evaluate the influence of serum lipids on auditory function. Study Design: The study group comprised 607 men and 317 women who underwent medical examination at our hospital. Eligibility criteria included 1) age of 40 to 59 years; 2) normal ear drums; 3) no history of noise exposure or of diseases associated with hearing loss; 4) normal results of a glucose tolerance test; and 5) normal hearing or sensorineural hearing loss with a flat-form or high-tone gradual-form audiogram. We investigated the relation between the hearing level of the better-hearing ear and serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Methods: For each variable, the subjects were divided into two groups-a high-level group (serum lipid concentration > 1 SD higher than the mean) and a lowlevel group (serum lipid concentration < 1 SD lower than the mean). Differences in hearing level between the two groups were compared according to sex with the t test. Results: For total cholesterol and total triglyceride, there was no significant difference in hearing level between the high-level group and the lowlevel group in either sex. As for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hearing levels at 2000 Hz (P < .05) and 4000 Hz (P < .01) in the high-level group were significantly better than those in the low-level group in men. Conclusion: A low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration is associated with hearing loss. Arteriopathy may play a role in auditory dysfunction.

No abstract

These findings suggest that ICNV can be an early manifestation of inflammatory chorioretinal diseases, including MEWDS, MFC, and PIC.

In the period 1983 to 1985, 66 patients presented to six Japanese university hospitals with squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus. Using self-administered questionnaires, a case-control study was conducted to examine history of nasal diseases, occupational exposures, and other possible risk factors for this disease. For each patient, two controls were selected from the general population, matched to the patient by sex, age (+/- 5 years), and district of residence. A history of chronic sinusitis was associated with a 2.3-fold increase in risk (p = 0.05). A high relative risk was also observed in males with an occupational history of woodworking or joinery, particularly when these jobs involved sanding or lathing practices (RR = 7.5, p = 0.02). No association between cigarette smoking and maxillary sinus cancer was observed in this study and no evidence was found that indoor air pollution in the home is involved in cancer development.

The results indicate that the PhNR may detect subclinical impairments of RGCs caused by the possible toxic effect of ICG. This finding adds to the data that BBG and TA may be safer than ICG for use during MH surgery.