Int. Adv. Otol. 2009; 5:(2) 166-170 166 Objective: Etiology and pathogenesis of tympanosclerosis is still unclear. Risk factors for atherosclerosis have been well known and guided in preventing strategies for reducing cardiovascular disease prevalence. The probable association of atherosclerosis with tympanosclerosis may open a new frontier in reducing tympanosclerosis development and related hearing loss. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate association of some of the commonly accepted risk factors for atherosclerosis with tympanosclerotic patients. Materials and Methods: Fifty patients with tympanosclerosis and 50 patients without tympanosclerosis undergoing surgical treatment included in the study. Of the risk factors commonly accepted for atherosclerosis, positive family history for cardiovascular disease (CVD), high density lipoproteine (HDL), low density lipoproteine (LDL), cholesterol, high sensitive C- reactive proteine (CRP) and homocysteine levels determined and compared between tympanosclerotic and non-tympanosclerotic groups. Results: Only high homocysteine levels were found statistically significant in tympanosclerotic patients (p<0.05). A positive family history for cardiovascular disease was found at a rate of 18/50 in patients with tympanosclerosis and 10/50 in patients without tympanosclerosis. Conclusions: High homocysteine levels which was shown as a risk factor in atherosclerosis in many reports, were found also as a risk factor in patients with tympanosclerosis. Submitted : 27 January 2009 Revised : 16 February 2009 Accepted : 14 April 2009 Tympanosclerosis is a degenerative process characterized by a hyaline degeneration of the middle ear and mastoid mucosa. [1] Degenerative process starts in the submucosal connective tissue layer and progresses to involve all connective tissue sublayers. [2] Although there are many investigations on this issue, etiology and pathogenesis of tympanosclerosis are still unclear. Immunological hypersensivity reaction, infection, genetic tendency or trauma have been suggested as causative factors for tympanosclerosis. [3-8] Koc and Uneri have pointed similarities between tympanosclerosis and atherosclerosis. [9] They reported the incidence of tympanosclerosis in atherosclerotic patients in comparison with the normal population. On otoscopic examination of 1,024 atherosclerotic patients, myringosclerosis was revealed in 66.6%. Myringosclerosis was found in 12% of 300 nonatherosclerotic patients. The high incidence of tympanosclerosis observed in atherosclerotic patients was an impressive datum. Pirodda et al examined 50 patients who were undergoing carotid endarterectomy and compared them with 50 healthy persons. [10] They observed tympanosclerosis at a rate of 18/50 (36%) in the study group and at a rate of 6/50 (12%) in the control group. According to results of both reports, high rate of tympanosclerosis in the presence of atherosclerosis in comparison to its presence in the normal population was found to be statistically significant. These findings indicate that there must be similar risk factors triggering pathogenesis in tympanosclerosis and atherosclerosis. Numerous investigations have focused on risk factors for atherosclerotic vascular disease. Many of the risk factors for atherosclerosis are well known and there has been a concensus on some of them. ORIGINAL ARTICLE Is Tympanosclerosis Effected by Risk Factors for Atherosclerosis? Aydin Acar, Adil Eryilmaz, Celil Gocer, Umut Genc, Fatih Bakir, Suleyman Boynuegri, Muharrem Dagli Ankara Numune Education Hospital 3rd ENT Department. (AA, AE, GG, UG, SB, MD) Ankara, Turkey Ankara Numune Education Hospital Biochemistry Department. (FB) Ankara, Turkey Corresponding address: Aydin Acar. MD Ankara Numune E¤itim ve Araflt›rma Hastanesi Samanpazar› 06100- Ankara, Turkey Phone:+90.312.5085079; Fax:+90.312.3111121; E-mail: acara66@yahoo.com Copyright 2005 © The Mediterranean Society of Otology and Audiology