Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio as a valuable prognostic marker in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Abstract

Background: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has emerged as a marker for degree of inflammation. Inflammation has been regarded as one of the causes of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Objectives: This study investigated the potential association between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and prognosis in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL).

Material and methods: This retrospective, case–control clinical trial analyzed data from 186 subjects diagnosed with ISSNHL and admitted to Kyung-Hee Medical Center between March 2016 and February 2019. Hematologic and audiometric parameters were measured.

Results: NLR showed a linear correlation with hearing recovery in patients with ISSNHL, with hearing gain (dB) = 56.698 – 3.718 × NLR (r² = 0.451, p = .001). Hearing recovery at all frequencies was numerically higher in patients with low (<6.661) than higher (≥6.661) NLR at all frequencies and was significantly higher at 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz. Hearing thresholds at 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz in the low NLR group were significantly lower after treatment.

Conclusions and significance: The ability to recover from ISSNHL decreases as NLR increases. NLR may be a valuable prognostic marker in patients with ISSNHL.

Chinese abstract

背景：中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞的比值（NLR）已成为炎症程度的标志。炎症被认为是特发性突发性感音神经性耳聋的病因之一。

目的：探讨特发性突发性感音神经性耳聋（ISSNHL）患者的中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值（NLR）与其预后的关系。

材料与方法：这项回顾性病例对照临床试验分析了2016年3月至2019年2月间186名被诊断为ISSNHL并被Kyung-Hee医疗中心收治的受试者的资料, 并测量了血液参数和听力参数。

结果：ISSNHL患者的NLR与听力恢复呈线性相关, 听力增益（dB）=56.698-3.718×NLR（r²=0.451, p =0 .001）。低NLR比率（<6.661）患者的所有频率的听力恢复在数值上高于高NLR比率患者（>6.661）, 并且在500、1000、2000、3000和4000 Hz时大大高于高比率患者。低NLR组在250、500、1000、2000、3000和4000 Hz时的听力阈值在治疗后显著降低。

结论及意义：随着NLR的增加, ISSNHL的恢复能力下降。NLR可能是ISSNHL患者的一个有价值的预后指标。

Keywords:

• Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio
• idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss
• Prognosis
• Marker

Disclosure statement

No authors have any financial or personal relationship with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (NRF-2018R1A6A1A03025124) and the Kyung Hee University Research Fund in 2019(KHU-20191910).