Inga Šatinskienė, Eugenijus Lesinskas, Mindaugas Petrulionis, Justinas Ivaška

Abstract

Objectives. We investigated prognostic factors in sudden sensorineural hearing loss.Patients and methods. Patients were recruited into the trial between August 2011 and June 2013 with complains : an abrupt onset of more than 30 dB hearing loss at three consecutive frequencies during period 72 hours, unilateral. 202 patients were randomized to 1 of 2 groups and administered treatment. Group I : patients were given 12 capsules (60 mg) of prednisolon for 7 days, then 2 less capsule per two days until finished. Group II : patients were given systemic prednisolon and additionally, three times a week were administered a transtympanic injection 1,0 ml – 4 mg/ml dexamethasone solution. Audiograms were performed at first visit and 30 days after treatment. Pure tone averages (PTAs) were measured by taking the 6-frequency average of the threshold value at 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000 and 8,000 Hz.Results. Our analysis suggests the presence of the following82prognostic factors for sudden sensorineural hearing loss : method of sudden sensorineural hearing loss treatment (better results in combined treatment group); time delay before start of treatment (better results when treatment started within 2 days of the first symptoms of SSNHL); age; seasonal occurrence of the disease in the winter and spring; stress condition, viral infection and trauma(acoustic) before SSNHL, tinnitus, fullness of the ear.Conclusions. Method of sudden sensorineural hearing loss treatment (better results in combined treatment group); time delay before start of treatment ( better results when treatment started within 2 days of the first symptoms of SSNHL); age; seasonal occurrence of the disease in the winter and spring; stress condition, viral infection and trauma (acoustic) before SSNHL, tinnitus, fullness of the ear are prognostic factors for hearing recovery in SSNHL. Gender, proffesional skills, smoking habits, otological and family history, osteochondrosis are not confirmed as prognostic factors for hearing recovery in SSNHL in our study. Knowing of prognostic factors for hearing recovery in SSNHL leads as predict course of the illness and proper prognosis for hearing improvement.

Keyword(s): prognostic factor, corticosteroids, intratympanic injections, tinnitus, sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2014.028
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