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The relationship between serum homocysteine levels and sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a meta-analysis

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Abstract

Objective

There was disagreement over the association between serum/plasma homocysteine (HCY) levels and sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). Through the use of a meta-analysis, this study aims to determine whether there is a significant difference in serum homocysteine levels between the SSNHL group and the control group.

Design

The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and PubMed databases were all thoroughly searched. The two independent reviewers thoroughly examined the initially searched articles. The data results were calculated by standard mean difference (SMD) or odds ratios (OR). Review Manager (version 5.3) was applied to statistical data.

Study sample

There were 766 participants in the 6 trials with continuous outcomes that were part of the meta-analysis A. In addition, meta-analysis B, which included 961 people, contained a total of 3 studies with dichotomous results.

Results

Both meta-analyses revealed the same conclusion that serum/plasma HCY levels in the SSNHL patients are higher than those in the controls (SMD 0.41, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.11 to 0.72, P < 0.01; OR 3.27, 95 % CI 2.16 to 4.94, P < 0.01).

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that the SSNHL patients' serum/plasma HCY levels were greater than those of the control group.

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Availability of data and material

All data generated or analyzed in this study are included in this published article.

Abbreviations

HCY:

Homocysteine

SSNHL:

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss

CI:

Confidence interval

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Niu, X., Chen, Y., Zhong, Y. et al. The relationship between serum homocysteine levels and sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a meta-analysis. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 280, 2091–2097 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-023-07829-w

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