Oxidative Stress in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: Putative Pathways to Hearing System Impairment
Pierluigi Mastino,
Davide Rosati,
Giulia de Soccio,
Martina Romeo,
Daniele Pentangelo,
Stefano Venarubea,
Marco Fiore,
Piero Giuseppe Meliante,
Carla Petrella,
Christian Barbato,
Antonio Minni
Affiliations
Pierluigi Mastino
Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ospedale San Camillo de Lellis, ASL Rieti-Sapienza University, Viale Kennedy, 02100 Rieti, Italy
Davide Rosati
Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ospedale San Camillo de Lellis, ASL Rieti-Sapienza University, Viale Kennedy, 02100 Rieti, Italy
Giulia de Soccio
Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ospedale San Camillo de Lellis, ASL Rieti-Sapienza University, Viale Kennedy, 02100 Rieti, Italy
Martina Romeo
Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ospedale San Camillo de Lellis, ASL Rieti-Sapienza University, Viale Kennedy, 02100 Rieti, Italy
Daniele Pentangelo
Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ospedale San Camillo de Lellis, ASL Rieti-Sapienza University, Viale Kennedy, 02100 Rieti, Italy
Stefano Venarubea
Division of Clinical Pathology, Director of analysis Laboratory of De Lellis Hospital, Viale Kennedy, 02100 Rieti, Italy
Marco Fiore
Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Department of Sense Organs DOS, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Roma, Italy
Piero Giuseppe Meliante
Department of Sense Organs DOS, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Roma, Italy
Carla Petrella
Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Department of Sense Organs DOS, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Roma, Italy
Christian Barbato
Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Department of Sense Organs DOS, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Roma, Italy
Antonio Minni
Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ospedale San Camillo de Lellis, ASL Rieti-Sapienza University, Viale Kennedy, 02100 Rieti, Italy
Introduction: OSAS is a disease that affects 2% of men and 4% of women of middle age. It is a major health public problem because untreated OSAS could lead to cardiovascular, metabolic, and cerebrovascular complications. The more accepted theory relates to oxidative stress due to intermittent hypoxia, which leads, after an intense inflammatory response through multiple pathways, to endothelial damage. The objective of this study is to demonstrate a correlation between OSAS and hearing loss, the effect of the CPAP on hearing function, and if oxidative stress is also involved in the damaging of the hearing system. Methods: A review of the literature has been executed. Eight articles have been found, where seven were about the correlation between OSAS and the hearing system, and only one was about the CPAP effects. It is noted that two of the eight articles explored the theory of oxidative stress due to intermittent hypoxia. Results: All studies showed a significant correlation between OSAS and hearing function (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Untreated OSAS affects the hearing system at multiple levels. Oxidative stress due to intermittent hypoxia is the main pathogenetic mechanism of damage. CPAP has no effects (positive or negative) on hearing function. More studies are needed, with the evaluation of extended high frequencies, the execution of vocal audiometry in noisy environments, and the evaluation of potential biomarkers due to oxidative stress.
