ENTtoday
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • Practice Focus
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Departments
    • Issue Archive
    • TRIO Best Practices
      • Allergy
      • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
      • Head and Neck
      • Laryngology
      • Otology/Neurotology
      • Pediatric
      • Rhinology
      • Sleep Medicine
    • Career Development
    • Case of the Month
    • Everyday Ethics
    • Health Policy
    • Legal Matters
    • Letter From the Editor
    • Medical Education
    • Online Exclusives
    • Practice Management
    • Resident Focus
    • Rx: Wellness
    • Special Reports
    • Tech Talk
    • Viewpoint
    • What’s Your O.R. Playlist?
  • Literature Reviews
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Events
    • Featured Events
    • TRIO Meetings
  • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Triological Society
    • Advertising Staff
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Place an Ad
    • Classifieds
    • Rate Card
  • Search

Understanding Otosclerosis Etiology and Impacting Factors

by Sue Pondrom • June 9, 2010

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version

What is the current understanding of the etiology of otosclerosis and what are the genetic and environmental factors that have been implicated in the disease?

You Might Also Like

  • MRI Useful for Identification of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss Etiology
  • Window of Opportunity: New time frame suggested for cochlear implant surgery in advanced otosclerosis
  • Olfactory Impairment and Disease Etiology are Linked
  • The Etiology of Chronic Rhinosinusitis Remains Unclear
Explore This Issue
June 2010

Background: A common disease characterized by a disordered bone remodeling in the otic capsule, otosclerosis has a prevalence of about 0.3 percent to 0.4 percent in the Caucasian population. In 10 percent of cases, a sensorineural hearing loss is present in addition to the conductive hearing loss. Although many environmental and genetic factors have been suggested for the development of otosclerosis, a great part of the etiology remains a mystery.

Study Design: A contemporary review

Setting: Department of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

Synopsis: The data suggest that measles virus infection is probably a susceptibility factor involved in otosclerosis but not the single cause or necessary for the disease to manifest. Endocrine factors could be involved because of the large difference in prevalence between males and females (1:2). In addition, epidemiological studies show otosclerosis associated with low fluoride content in the drinking water. Evidence for genetic variants in otosclerosis has been discovered in different parts of the spectrum, but the extent to which these contribute to the disease is unclear since only a limited number of genetic studies have been done. Most cases of otosclerosis, however, do not have a clear familial background. The success in identifying loci in large otosclerosis families by linkage analysis has been hampered by the presence of reduced penetrance and phenocopies. The authors noted that recently they have been able to provide strong evidence for T cell receptor beta as the responsible gene at the OTSC2 region. The authors also discussed association studies for otosclerosis, including genes in the immune system, in bone remodeling and in hormonal and other pathways. Regarding otosclerosis as an autoimmune disease, the authors said the precise underlying mechanism might vary among otosclerosis patients as several factors can influence and contribute to a similar disease outcome and it is unclear whether an autoimmune pathology underlies disease development.

Bottom Line: Overall, studies suggest a heterogeneous etiology for otosclerosis with the extent of involvement of environmental versus genetic factors unclear.

Citation: Schrauwen I, Van Camp, G. The etiology of otosclerosis: a combination of genes and environment. Laryngoscope. 2010; 120(6):1195-1202.

—Reviewed by Sue Pondrom

Filed Under: Literature Reviews, Otology/Neurotology Tagged With: etiology, otosclerosisIssue: June 2010

You Might Also Like:

  • MRI Useful for Identification of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss Etiology
  • Window of Opportunity: New time frame suggested for cochlear implant surgery in advanced otosclerosis
  • Olfactory Impairment and Disease Etiology are Linked
  • The Etiology of Chronic Rhinosinusitis Remains Unclear

The Triological SocietyENTtoday is a publication of The Triological Society.

The Laryngoscope
Ensure you have all the latest research at your fingertips; Subscribe to The Laryngoscope today!

Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
Open access journal in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery is currently accepting submissions.

Classifieds

View the classified ads »

TRIO Best Practices

View the TRIO Best Practices »

Top Articles for Residents

  • Do Training Programs Give Otolaryngology Residents the Necessary Tools to Do Productive Research?
  • Why More MDs, Medical Residents Are Choosing to Pursue Additional Academic Degrees
  • What Physicians Need to Know about Investing Before Hiring a Financial Advisor
  • Tips to Help You Regain Your Sense of Self
  • Should USMLE Step 1 Change from Numeric Score to Pass/Fail?
  • Popular this Week
  • Most Popular
  • Most Recent
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • Experts Delve into Treatment Options for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
    • Weaning Patients Off of PPIs
    • Some Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Resists PPI Treatment
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • New Developments in the Management of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
    • Some Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Resists PPI Treatment
    • Eustachian Tuboplasty: A Potential New Option for Chronic Tube Dysfunction and Patulous Disease
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Did You Receive COVID-19 Relief? Here Are Reporting Considerations for 2021
    • Otolaryngology Experts Share Best Practices in Five Areas
    • How Climate Change May Be Affecting Sleep Patterns for Adults and Children
    • Laryngologists Discuss Tough Tracheostomy Choices During COVID-19 Era
    • Head and Neck Cancer: Experts Discuss How to Improve Surgery Quality and Value

Polls

Did you receive funding from the CARES Act or Paycheck Protection Program?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Visit: The Triological Society • The Laryngoscope • Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology

Wiley
© 2021 The Triological Society. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN 1559-4939

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This site uses cookies: Find out more.