Magnesium treatment for sudden hearing loss.
Magnesium treatment has been repeatedly shown to reduce the incidence of both temporary and permanent noise-induced hearing loss. We hypothesized that it might also improve the permanent threshold shift in patients with acute-onset hearing loss. In a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 28 patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss were treated with either steroids and oral magnesium (study group) or steroids and a placebo (control group). Compared to the controls, the magnesium-treated group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with improved hearing (>10 dB hearing level) across all frequencies tested, and a significantly greater mean improvement in all frequencies. Analysis of the individual data confirmed that more patients treated with magnesium experienced hearing improvement, and at a larger magnitude, than control subjects. Magnesium is a relatively safe and convenient adjunct to steroid treatment for enhancing the improvement in hearing, especially in the low-tone range, in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel.
Ben I
BI
Nageris
David
D
Ulanovski
Joseph
J
Attias
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
D008274:Magnesium