 |
|
Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Does Application of Glucocorticoids Make Sense?
Christoph Alexiou, MD;
Wolfgang Arnold, MD;
Claudius Fauser, MD;
Bruno Schratzenstaller, MD;
Bertrand Gloddek, MD;
Stefanie Fuhrmann;
Kerstin Lamm, MD
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2001;127:253-258.
Background Treatment of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) consists of administration
of blood flow–promoting drugs with or without the addition of glucocorticoids.
General guidelines based on scientific data do not currently exist.
Objective To investigate the effect of glucocorticoids on the treatment of SSNHL.
Setting Academic medical center.
Patients and Methods We retrospectively analyzed the audiograms of 603 patients with SSNHL:
301 patients (cared for between January 1, 1986, and December 31, 1991) received
intravenous blood flow–promoting drugs without glucocorticoids and 302
patients (cared for between January 1, 1992, and December 31, 1998) received
intravenous blood flow–promoting drugs with glucocorticoids (intravenous
± oral application). The age distribution of patients with SSNHL in
lower, middle, and higher frequencies was similar in both groups.
Results Patients with SSNHL in lower and middle frequencies (250-2000 Hz) who
received glucocorticoids (prednisolone-21-hydrogen-succinate) showed significantly
better recovery of hearing levels compared with those who did not receive
glucocorticoids (P<.05). There was no significant
difference at higher frequencies between the 2 groups. Patients with SSNHL
throughout all frequencies (pancochlear hearing loss) who received glucocorticoids
also had significantly better recovery of hearing levels compared with those
who received blood flow–promoting drugs alone (P<.05).
Also, patients with elevated blood sedimentation rates had better improvement
of their hearing levels after receiving glucocorticoids.
Conclusions Administration of glucocorticoids should be recommended for treatment
of patients with SSNHL. In particular, patients with SSNHL in the lower and
middle frequency range and pancochlear hearing loss have significantly better
recovery of hearing levels.
From the Department of Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery,
Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
Corresponding author and reprints: Christoph Alexiou, MD, Klinikum
rechts der Isar, Hals-Nasen-Ohren Klinik und Poliklinik, Ismaningerstr. 22,
81675 München, Germany (e-mail: C.Alexiou{at}lrz.tu-muenchen.de).
RELATED ARTICLE
Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Reader's Choice: Continuing Medical Education
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2001;127(3):342-343.
FULL TEXT
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES
Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Rauch
NEJM 2008;359:833-840.
FULL TEXT
Glucocorticoid Receptor and Nuclear Factor-{kappa}B Interactions in Restraint Stress-Mediated Protection against Acoustic Trauma
Tahera et al.
Endocrinology 2006;147:4430-4437.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
Screening and Management of Adult Hearing Loss in Primary Care: Scientific Review
Yueh et al.
JAMA 2003;289:1976-1985.
ABSTRACT
| FULL TEXT
|
