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Unlabelled: Tinnitus is a symptom usually related to cochlear change that may arise from noise exposure and induces expression of proinflammatory cytokines including interleukin-6 (IL6). This study aimed to evaluate the association between the polymorphism of the IL6 gene in the region 174G/C and tinnitus in elderly with history of occupational noise exposure.Settings and Design: This was a cross-sectional study with a sample of 179 independent elderly individuals aged >60 years. Information on exposure to occupational noise was obtained by interviews. Audiological evaluation was performed using pure tone audiometry and genotyped through polymerase chain reaction by restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Data were analyzed using the chi-square test and the odds ratio (OR), with the significance level set at 5%. Among the study subjects, 24.6% were homozygous for the G allele, 39.7% were homozygous for the C allele, and 35.8% were heterozygous for IL6 (P > 0.05). Of these, 33.5% reported noise exposure history, with 42.5% having tinnitus. We found significant association between the genotype and allele frequencies of the IL6 -174 gene (rs1800795) and tinnitus among the elderly with history of exposure to occupational noise (P = 0.03). The elderly with the C allele were less likely to have tinnitus associated with history of exposure to occupational noise [OR = 0.167, confidence interval (CI) 95% 0.167-0.749; P = 0.004] when compared to those carrying the G allele. This study suggests that there is an association between polymorphisms in the IL6 gene at region - 174G/C and susceptibility to tinnitus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to evaluate the stabilometry parameters after Epley's maneuver in individuals with BPPV previously confirmed through Dix-Hallpike maneuver. Methods: an experimental study which included patients with BPPV with positional nystagmus taking Dix-Hallpike's test and assessed in 2008, at the Multidisciplinary Vertigo Ambulatory, and who were also submitted to Epley's maneuver and assessed as for their postural balance through a stabilometry exam, both before and after such maneuver. Results: the 13 female subjects with ages ranging from 15 to 78 years with previously confirmed BPPV, who were selected for the research, showed a significant statistically improvement regarding their postural balance after Epley's maneuver in all analyzed parameters as for both exams. Conclusion: in this research the Epley's maneuver was shown as a procedure of important intervention for improving the answers of postural balance in individuals with BPPV evaluated by the stabilometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to estimate the prevalence of hearing loss (HL), identifying the factors associated with elderly patients in the city of Londrina - PR. Methods: cross-sectional study in a population sample with 61 individuals aged over 60 years in Londrina-Pr, 2009, through anamnesis and audiological evaluation. We used the chi-square of relative risk with 95% confidence and p-value <0.05 for univariate analysis between HL and associated factors. Results: the whole sample 87.70% had some type of hearing loss or lowering of frequencies. Out of these individuals with HL, the type of HL with greater prevalence in this age group was sensorineural HL, with 63.93% of occurrence. Out of the sample of hypertensive patients, 88.88% had HL, which is an increase of 8 chances to make the hypertensive population to have HL. From the sample of diabetics, 90% had HL, an increase of 9 chances to cause the diabetic population to show HL. Consumers of alcohol, 92.30% had HL. Thus, consumers of alcohol had 12 more chances to get HL. However, from the sample of smokers, former smokers or passive smokers with daily contact with smokers, from these individuals, 87.09% had HL, thus, an increase of 9 chances to have HL. Conclusion: the study showed that people over 60 years shows mainly sensory neural HL, and it is a progressive loss and its proportion increased with aging. Risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, alcohol consumption and smoking are factors that can predispose to HL, especially when associated with presbycusis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to determine the prevalence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and identify their associations in an elderly population. Methods: a cross-sectional study in elderly patients evaluated by audiological evaluation, comorbidity questionnaireand Dix-Hallpike maneuver Were applied nonparametric tests: Chi-square and multivariate regression with a confidence interval of 95%. Results: the final sample consisted of 494 individuals, with a median age of 69 (64.75 to 74.00) years. Observed prevalence of 23.9% of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and 51.6% of neck pain and headache 37.9%. There was a statistically significant association between benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and neck pain, headache and gender in this population. Conclusion: it is concluded that this elderly population the prevalence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo was 23.9% and the neck pain was 51.6% and there was a significant association between benign paroxysmal positional vertigo with neck pain and female gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]