title: Hearing recovery in sudden deafness patients using a modified defibrinogenation therapy.
abstract: Ninety-eight patients with idiopathic sudden deafness were treated with a modified defibrinogenation (DF) therapy including batroxobin, low molecular dextran, vasodilators and vitamins. Hearing improvement was evaluated with two methods: categorical judgement and improvement rate (%). By categorical judgement, 60 patients (61% of the total) were classified into recovery or good improvement categories. The improvement rate was calculated for each of the 93 patients, and the average value was 64%. Modified DF therapy was effective especially for patients with severe hearing loss of 70-90 dB with flat audiogram. Although serum fibrinogen significantly decreased after batroxobin administration there was no correlation between the concentration of fibrinogen and hearing recovery. When prognostic factors were studied, the interval between the onset of hearing loss and start of treatment, initial hearing level, and the existence of vertigo all had significant correlation with the degree of hearing recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Osaka University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shiraishi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naramura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okusa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D012103:Batroxobin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003911:Dextrans / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D005444:Flunarizine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000503:physiopathology; D014717:Vertigo / Q000503:physiopathology; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D005340:Fibrinogen; C019476:mecobalamin; D012103:Batroxobin; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D005444:Flunarizine