Oxidative stress and Ménière's disease and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

It is known that oxidative stress plays some role in inner ear diseases, such as sensorineural hearing loss due to aging. Free radicals are produced as a result of oxidative stress, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide. Radical scavengers and antioxidants play a role in the protection against oxidative stress. Although some basic data have indicated a relationship between oxidative stress and endolymphatic hydrops, no clinical data have been published from patients. Diacron reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROM) were measured by the Free Radical Analytical system 4 (FRAS4) from the blood of 39 patients. The subjects consisted of 16 controls, 13 patients with Ménière's disease, and 10 patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The d-ROM value of the controls was 307.3±42.5U Carr, compared with 350.1±50.5U Carr in BPPV and 352.2±71.5U Carr in Ménière's disease subjects. Although no statistically significant differences were seen among the groups, patients with BPPV and Ménière's disease had slightly higher values than the controls, suggesting that free radicals were being produced in patients with both Ménière's disease and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. It may be useful to control dizziness or vertigo by reducing free radicals as a product of oxidative stress, and controlling oxidative stress may be a valuable approach in the treatment of patients with dizziness due to Ménière's disease or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.