Management of sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a consultant survey.
A questionnaire was sent to 100 consultant otolaryngologists from three selected health regions in the United Kingdom enquiring about their assessment and management of a patient presenting with sudden-onset sensorineural hearing loss. Seventy-six replied, of whom 42 stated a sub-specialist interest in otology. Seventy-eight per cent of respondents would order routine blood tests including the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and syphilis serology; in addition 38 per cent would order a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scan at the first presentation. The vast majority would treat such a patient (89 per cent), although the method and combination varied widely. A review of the literature confirmed that the level of evidence for treating this condition is limited and therefore the wide disparity in consultants' practice is not surprising.
Loughran
S
S
Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, Scotland, UK.
D003253:Consultants; D004739:England; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000628:therapy*; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011364:Professional Practice; D012606:Scotland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires