[Evaluation of carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine on tinnitus]

Due to multiplicity of tinnitus etiologies and the lack of accurate knowledge about its exact mechanism, it is still a challenge to find an effective treatment. The objective of this study was an evaluation of carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine effect on tinnitus in patients' reffered to Amiralmomenin Hospital Rasht-Iran. In a randomized double-blind clinical trial, a total of 57 patients [23 to 71 years old] with chronic nonpulsatile tinnitus were treated in three separate groups with carbamazepine [300-600mg], oxcarbazepine [450-900 mg] and placebo for 12 weeks. In the early stages of the study, physical examination and nessecary laboratory tests, audiometry tests, complementation of Visual Analogue Scale [VAS] and Tinnitus Severity Index [TSI] were performed. At the end of 8[th] and 12[th] weeks, VAS and TSI questionnaire were completed again. Among 51 patients [28 male, 23 female] who completed the trial course, according to VAS, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine and placebo decreased severity of tinnitus in 56.6%, 46.2% and 38.5% of cases respectively. Decrement in tinnitus severity on the basis of TSI in the three mentioned groups were 61.1%, 58.8% and 50% respectively. Carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine were not more effective than placebo in subsiding tinnitus on the basis of VAS and TSI. Carbamazepine and its analouge, oxcarbazepine are effective in decreasing tinnitus severity, but they are not significantly more effective than placebo

Hearing statement in multiple sclerosis: a case control study using auditory brainstem responses and otoacoustic emissions

Multiple Sclerosis [MS] is a demyelinating disorder of Central Nervous System. It involves 8th cranial nerve and its central nuclei and is an uncommon cause of the sensorineural hearing loss. For determining the prevalence of hearing loss [HL] especially retrocochlear type in MS, a cross-sectional study was designed using Pure-Tone Audiometry [PTA], Otoacustic Emissions [OAEs], Auditory Brainstem Responses [ABRs] compared with the control group. Data were analyzed by Qui2 and Fischer exact test in SPSS 17 software. Among 60 patients [44 women and 16 men] and 38 controls [27 women and 11 men] with a mean age of 29.9 +/- 9.8 and 31.4 +/- 8.3 years, 12.5% of case ears and 3.9% of the control ears had abnormal PTA [P= 0.043]. Frequency of abnormal high frequency-PTA and two modalities of OAEs were not significantly different between case and control ears. The means of overall correlation were 75.9 +/- 23.8 in cases and 70.0 +/- 27.2 in controls [P= 0.111]. 20% of case ears, and 9.2% of the control ears had abnormal ABRs [P= 0.044]. The absolute latencies of waves I, II and V had not significant difference, but 10% and 11.7% of case ears and 1.3% and none of the control ears had increased inter peak latencies of I-III, and III-V respectively [P<0.05]. 6.7% of case ears and 2.6% of control ears had retrocochlear abnormality [P=0.181]. In conclusion, HL is more common in MS patients, especially when determined by using PTA and ABR

Association between chlamydia pneumoniae infection and carotid atherosclerotic plaques

Several studies have suggested an association between Chlamydia pneumonia infection and atherosclerosis. This study was designed to investigate the association between this organism and atherosclerotic plaque formation in right and left common carotid arteries [CCAs] and extracranial portions of internal carotid arteries [ICAs]. Antibodies to Chlamydia pneumoniae [IgA and IgG] were measured and compared in 42 patients who had plaque in at least one CCA or ICA [detected by duplex ultrasound] and 82 patients without any plaque in these arteries. Cp.IgG and Cp.IgA titers over 1.10 ISR were defined to be positive. We found that 6.1% of control subjects and 16.7% of cases were Cp.IgA seropositive. The difference between these two groups was prominent but was not statistically significant [P = 0.104]. 4.2% of females without atherosclerotic plaque and 31.6% of females with plaque were Cp.IgA seropositive. This difference is statistically significant [P = 0.005]. There was no significant difference in seropositivity of Cp.IgG between case and control subjects or in male and female groups with or without plaque. Cp.IgA is a predictor of atherosclerosis in women, but Cp.IgG has no predictive value for plaque formation in either gender

influence of chlamydia pneumoniae infection on intima-media-thickness [IMT] in common carotid artery

Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial disease and the identification and diagnosis of its risk factors can help prevent its complications. Among the recently introduced risk factors is infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae. Atherosclerosis is initially characterized by increased intima-media-thickness [IMT], which can be measured by duplex ultrasonography. This study was designed to assess the role of Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in increasing IMT. Extracranial carotid duplex ultrasound was done in 83 individuals and IMT was measured 1 centimeter proximal to bifurcation of the common carotid arteries. IMT more than 0.9 mm was considered as increased. Forty-four individuals had increased IMT and were included in the case group; 39 individuals with normal IMT were considered as the control group. These two groups were matched for age, sex, smoking, and underlying diseases. Chlamydia pneumoniae IgG [Cp.IgG] and Chlamydia pneumoniae IgA [Cp.IgA] were measured in these 2 groups by using the ELISA method and titers more than 1.10 ISR [Immune Status Ratio] were defined as positive, 0.9-1.09 ISR as borderline, and less than 0.9 ISR as negative. We compared the prevalence of Cp.IgG and Cp.IgA seropositivity and the means of antibody titers in these 2 groups. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of Cp.IgG and Cp.IgA seropositivity and in the mean titers of these antibodies between the case and control groups. Cp.IgG and Cp.IgA do are not valuable predictors of increased IMT