Int. Adv. Otol. 2009; 5(3); 341-345

Homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 concentrations in middle aged adults (40-60 years) presenting with sensorineural hearing impairment before the geriatric age
Celil Gocer, Umut Genc, Adil Eryilmaz, Ahmet Islam, Suleyman Boynuegri, Fatih Bakir

Ankara Numune Education Hospital 3rd ENT Department Ankara, Turkey, celilgocer@yahoo.com

Objective: Aim of this study was to investigate a possible association between hearing impairment and homocysteine, folate
and vitamin B12 concentrations in subjects presenting with sensorineural hearing loss before the geriatric age, namely before
the age of 60.

Materials and Methods: Pure tone audiometry was performed and the age expected deviations were calculated according the
ISO 7029. Two groups of patients were studied, one (n=78) with hearing impairment, and a control group (n=53), matched in
age, without hearing impairment.

Results: In blood, mean concentration of vitamin B12 was lower in the hearing impairment group (251.7 +/- 158.6 pg/ml, mean
+/- SD) than in the control group (304.9 +/- 152.0 pg/ml, p=0.004); folate concentration was also lower in patients with hearing
impairment (7.26 +/- 3.25 ng/ml) compared to controls (8.29 +/- 3.11 ng/ml, p=0.029), whereas homocystein was higher (hearing
impairment: 16.59 +/- 5.15 μmol/ml; control: 13.69 +/- 4.61 μmol/ml, p=0.001).

Conclusion: In both groups, no correlation between the age and the blood concentrations of vitamin B12, folate and homocysteine
could be found. Our findings suggest that elevated homocystein and decreased folate and vitamin B12 concentrations accompany to hearing
loss before the geriatric age.