Is there any relation between coronary atherosclerosis and tympanosclerosis?

Abstract

Objective: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of medium and large-sized arteries. Tympanosclerosis is the hyalinization and calcification of the connective tissue in the middle ear, including the tympanic membrane. The etiology and pathogenesis of tympanosclerosis are still controversial. There are some reports about the possible relationship between development of tympanosclerosis and atherosclerosis. Therefore, we aimed a cross-sectional study to investigate relationship between tympanosclerosis and atherosclerosis in patients referred for coronary angiography. Methods: The study population consisted of 203 consecutive patients (145 men, mean age 59±11years) who underwent coronary angiography. Otoscopic examination was performed in all patients. All angiographies were examined to calculate coronary artery vessel stenosis and extent scores. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the angiographic scores with existence of tympanosclerosis. Results: Among the 203 patients, 35 (17%) patients had angiographically normal coronary arteries without any atheroma plaque and 168 (83%) had coronary atherosclerosis. In the otoscopic examination, tympanosclerosis was found in 14 patients (6.9%). No significant differences in distribution of clinical atherosclerotic risk factors (age, gender, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking and cholesterol levels) were found between groups with and without tympanosclerosis. Tympanosclerosis was found in 4 patients with normal coronary arteries (11.4%). In the group of coronary atherosclerosis, 10 patients have tympanosclerosis (5.9%). In addition, there was no statistically significant association of coronary artery vessel, stenosis or extent scores of atherosclerosis with tympanosclerosis (p>0.05). Conclusions: We could not find any association between tympanosclerosis and angiographic extent and severity of atherosclerosis, contrary to other studies. More studies are needed to understand etiological mechanisms and association between them. (Anadolu Kardiyol Derg 2010; 10: 121-5) Key words: Atherosclerosis, tympanosclerosis, coronary angiography, angiographic scoring ÖZET Amaç: Ateroskleroz orta ve büyük arterlerin kronik inflamatuvar bir hastalığıdır. Timpanoskleroz, timpanik zarı da içine alacak şekilde orta kulak bağ dokusunda hyalinizasyon ve kalsifikasyon oluşmasıdır. Timpanosklerozun etiyoloji ve patogenezi hala tartışmalıdır. Ateroskleroz ve timpanoskleroz gelişimi arasında olası ilişkiye yönelik bazı çalışmalar mevcuttur. Biz bu kesitsel çalışmada, koroner anjiyografiye gönderilen hastalarda timpanoskleroz ve ateroskleroz arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmayı amaçladık. Yöntemler: Koroner anjiyografiye gönderilen 203 ardışık hasta (145 erkek, yaş 59±11 yıl) çalışmaya alındı. Bütün hastalara otoskopik muayene yapıldı. Koroner anjiyografilerde damar, darlık ve yaygınlık skorları hesaplandı. Timpanoskleroz varlığı ile anjiyografik skorları karşılaştırmak için Mann-Whitney U testi kullanıldı. Bulgular: İki yüz üç hastadan, 35 (%17) ha...

Myringosclerosis as a predictor of the requirement for a permanent pacemaker in patients with drug-related atrioventricular block

“…In another study, the frequency of tympanosclerosis was significantly higher in patients with hypercholesterolemia than in healthy subjects, and the rate was even higher in patients with plaques in the carotid or vertebrobasilar arteries 10 . Thus, with few exceptions 28,29 , most studies' findings support a relationship between tympanosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.…”