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Igarashi M, Saito R, Mizukoshi K, Alford BR. Otoconia in young and elderly persons: a iemporal bone study. Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 1993; Suppl 504: 26-29.Using serially sectioned human temporal bones, the volumes of otoconia masses were compared between young children and elderly people. The latter group had significantly less otoconia volume than the former group, both in the macula utriculi and macula sacculi. The ratio between macula utriculi and macula sacculi was 100 : 70 in the young group, whereas it was 100 : 35 in the elderly group. Thus, the macula sacculi in the elderly group showed the severest otoconia reduction. Ke.v words: oioconia, human temporal bone, young and elderly persons. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONIn the present study, the volume of otoconia in the macula utriculi and macula sacculi in the senile age Acta Otolaryngol Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by Nyu Medical Center on 08/02/15For personal use only.

Objective-To assess the influence of environmental exposure to cadmium (Cd) on long term outcome of inhabitants living in an area polluted by Cd. Methods-A follow up study for 15 years (from 1974-5 to 1991) was carried out on 2408 inhabitants (amounting to 95% of the target population, 1079 men and 1329 women) of the Kakehashi River basin in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. These inhabitants had been the subjects of the health impact survey in 1974-5 to evaluate (by measurement of urinary retinol binding protein (RBP)) renal dysfunction induced by Cd. Analysis of mortality was performed by dividing subjects into a urinary RBP positive ( > 4 mg/1) group and RBP negative (<4 mg/l) group. Results-After adjustment for age with Cox's proportional hazard model, RBP > 4 mg/l showed a significant relation to mortality in both sexes. At this time, the mortality risk ratio of the RBP positive to negative group was 1-71 in the men and 1*42 in the women. When the SMRs according to causes of deaths in the RBP positive group were compared with those of the RBP negative group or the overall Japanese population increases of SMR for cardiovascular diseases, especially heart failure, and renal diseases were found in both sexes. Conclusion-These results suggest that the prognosis of the exposed inhabitants with renal tubular dysfunction is unfavourable, and these increases of mortality are due to heart failure and renal diseases. (Occup Environ Med 1995;52:181-184)

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To identify epidemiologic characteristics of definite cases of Ménière’s disease (DMD), we conducted retrospective surveys of the period 1990–2004 of the Nishikubiki district and of the period 1980–2004 of Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University. Three hundred and seventy-five patients (50 from Nishikubiki, 325 from Toyama) were diagnosed with DMD according to the diagnostic criteria proposed by the Japanese Society for Equilibrium Research. There was a slight increase in the prevalence of DMD during the period 1990–2004. However, incidence did not change significantly over time. The average annual prevalence and incidence were 34.5 and 5.0, respectively, per 100,000 population. Incidence and prevalence predominated in females. With respect to age at disease, the incidence in elderly patients was increased when we corrected for age distribution in the overall population.

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Patients treated with cisplatin were observed in an otoneurological study with special reference to cochlear and vestibular toxicity. Toxicity-related symptoms appeared to be almost all transient. As with leukopenia, hearing loss and dizziness often occurred after several weeks of administration. In the equilibrium examinations, some abnormal findings such as spontaneous nystagmus and positional nystagmus were seen. Caloric tests and body sway tests detected abnormal findings in the early stages of cisplatin-related vestibulotoxicity.