title: Diagnosis and treatment of sudden-onset sensorineural hearing loss: a study of 51 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study purpose was to determine the efficacy of steroid and antiviral therapy in the management of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective study of patients presenting to an academic tertiary care center. Fifty-one patients were evaluated. All patients were placed on the same treatment protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-seven patients (73%) had recovery of hearing. Ninety-one percent of patients with vertigo and all patients with mid-frequency hearing loss and up-sloping hearing loss recovered with treatment (P < 0.05). Recovery was significantly related to age, onset of hearing loss, and audiogram type; however outcome was not significantly related to gender, vertigo, tinnitus, or laterality (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our treatment protocol produced a recovery rate, which exceeds the spontaneous recovery rate. Unlike prior studies, all patients with up-sloping and mid-frequency SSNHL had recovery. In addition, vertigo did not indicate a poor prognosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antiviral therapy and increased length of steroid treatment may play a role in the improved recovery rates.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurotology, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Mani H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zadeh
authors.forename: Ian S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Storper
authors.forename: Jaclyn B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Spitzer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone