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 & Fischer exact test in SPSS 17 software. Among 60 patients (44 women & 16 men) and 38 controls (27 women & 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 & V had not significant difference, but 10% and 11.7% of case ears and 1.3% & 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.

The relationship between magnesium level and first 72 hours Rankin score and Rankin score in 1 week after an ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: We intended to investigate the serum magnesium impact upon the disability after ischemic stroke. METHODS: A total of 67 ischemic stroke patients who less than 6 hours had passed from their attacks participated in this cross sectional study. We have measured their serum magnesium level and determined its correlation with their Rankin Disability Score (RDS) in the first 72 hours (RDS0) and after 1 week (RDS1w) and its change in this period of time by using nominal regression method and repeated measure ANOVA in SPSS 17. RESULTS: There was a reciprocal statistical correlation between serum magnesium level and RDS0 and RDS1w. (P = 0.000 & 0.002 respectively). But it hasn't any significant statistical correlation with the changes of this score in this period of time (P = 0.513). CONCLUSION: Serum magnesium level is a good predictor for patients' abilities that involved by an ischemic stroke.

Hyperlipidemia in migraine: Is it more frequent in migraineurs?

BACKGROUND: Some coincidental disorders with migraine have been introduced that may have role in its pathogenesis or aggravation. In this study we determined the relative frequency of hyperlipidemia as a coincidental disorder in patients affected by migraine. METHODS: A total of 102 migraine-affected patients according to International Headache Society (HIS) criteria and 103 control subjects adjusted for age participated in this case-control study. Their serum level of triglyceride, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured. RESULTS: A total of 84 women and 18 men with mean age of 34.9 ± 11.8 years and 79 women and 24 men with mean age of 32.8 ± 5.7 years constituted case and control groups, respectively. The means of serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-C and LDL-C levels in case and control groups were 177.0 ± 118.2 versus 108.7 ± 37.2 mg/dl (P = 0.0001), 186.2 ± 44.1 versus 152.9 ± 3.7 mg/dl (P = 0.0001), 49.9 ± 12.5 versus 46.1 ± 10.7 mg/dl (P = 0.023) and 104.8 ± 33.7 versus 84.1 ± 34.0 mg/dl (P = 0.0001), respectively. The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia in case and control groups were 41.2% versus 18.4% (P = 0.0001), and 36.3% versus 9.7% (P = 0.0001). According to multivariate analysis, odds ratios were 3.11 (95% CI: 1.4 -6.6) and 17.4 (95% CI: 2.12-138.3), respectively. Odds ratio for low HDL-C was 0.2 (95% CI: 0.08-0.49). CONCLUSION: Hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia were more frequent in migraineurs. Conversely, low HDL-C was less frequent among the patients compared with non-migraineurs.