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. 2020 Dec 29;11(1):42.
doi: 10.3390/diagnostics11010042.

Biomarkers for Inner Ear Disorders: Scoping Review on the Role of Biomarkers in Hearing and Balance Disorders

Nahla A Gomaa  1   2 , Zaharadeen Jimoh  3 , Sandra Campbell  4 , Julianna K Zenke  1 , Agnieszka J Szczepek  5   6
Affiliations

Biomarkers for Inner Ear Disorders: Scoping Review on the Role of Biomarkers in Hearing and Balance Disorders

Nahla A Gomaa et al. Diagnostics (Basel). .

Abstract

The diagnostics of inner ear diseases are primarily functional, but there is a growing interest in inner ear biomarkers. The present scoping review aimed to elucidate gaps in the literature regarding the definition, classification system, and an overview of the potential uses of inner ear biomarkers. Relevant biomarkers were categorized, and their possible benefits were evaluated. The databases OVID Medline, EMBASE, EBSCO COINAHL, CA PLUS, WOS BIOSIS, WOS Core Collection, Proquest Dissertations, Theses Global, PROSPERO, Cochrane Library, and BASE were searched using the keywords "biomarker" and "inner ear". Of the initially identified 1502 studies, 34 met the inclusion criteria. The identified biomarkers were classified into diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutic, and pathognomonic; many were detected only in the inner ear or temporal bone. The inner-ear-specific biomarkers detected in peripheral blood included otolin-1, prestin, and matrilin-1. Various serum antibodies correlated with inner ear diseases (e.g., anti-type II collagen, antinuclear antibodies, antibodies against cytomegalovirus). Further studies are advised to elucidate the clinical significance and diagnostic or prognostic usage of peripheral biomarkers for inner ear disorders, filling in the literature gaps with biomarkers pertinent to the otology clinical practice and integrating functional and molecular biomarkers. These may be the building blocks toward a well-structured guideline for diagnosing and managing some audio-vestibular disorders.

Keywords: audio-vestibular organ; biomarkers; cochlea; functional biomarkers; inner ear; peripheral blood biomarkers.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) diagram for article selection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The identification of inner-ear-specific and disease-specific molecular biomarkers should in the future improve the otologic diagnosis and prognosis. Created with BioRender.com.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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