Journal of Otorhinolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune connective tissue disease that can affect multiple organs. Although hearing loss (HL) is not a common complaint in patients with SSc, auditory involvement may occur and potentially affect their quality of life.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate auditory function in patients with SSc compared with healthy individuals.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 51 patients with SSc and 47 healthy participants.

The study was conducted at Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, in 2023. Auditory function was evaluated using pure-tone audiometry, tympanometry, and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions in both groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 27, IBM Corp., USA), and the significance level was set at p < 0.05.

Results: The prevalence of HL was 27.5% in patients with SSc and 2.1% in the healthy control group (p < 0.001). Patients with SSc had significantly higher odds of HL after adjustment for age and gender (OR: 11.30, 95% CI: 1.25–98.64). No significant associations were found between hearing thresholds and anti-Scl-70 or anticentromere antibodies (p > 0.05 for both).

Conclusion: Sensorineural hearing loss was the most common type of HL detected in patients with SSc who reported no hearing difficulties in daily life. An elevated hearing threshold at 8 kHz may be an early sign of auditory dysfunction. Therefore, annual hearing screening should be considered for early detection and timely management of auditory impairment in patients with SSc.

A spinal cord injury (SCI) is a significant neurological issue, frequently resulting in lasting neurological impairments, considerable socioeconomic consequences, and a greatly restricted capacity for natural regeneration. Despite extensive research enhancing our comprehension of the pathophysiology of SCI, an effective curative treatment remains unavailable. Conversely, advancements in regenerative medicine have broadened the spectrum of treatment possibilities beyond traditional symptomatic and supportive approaches. This review provides an overview of the existing treatment approaches for SCI, emphasizing pharmacological therapies such as riluzole, minocycline, and anti-Nogo-A antibodies; cell-based techniques featuring mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), neural stem cells (NSCs), Schwann cells (SCs), and olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs); as well as exosome-mediated nanotherapeutic approaches. The fundamental mechanisms, outcomes from preclinical studies, clinical data, and key challenges to translation are all thoroughly analyzed. We highlight potential future therapeutic options, particularly the use of multiple treatment combinations that may facilitate the transition of promising experimental methods into clinical application.