Effect of corticosteroids or diuretics in low-tone sensorineural hearing loss.
OBJECTIVE
We retrospectively analyzed 225 patients with acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss (ALSHL), comparing the effectiveness of corticosteroid and diuretic therapy, and also determining the factors affecting hearing recovery.


METHODS
Retrospective clinical record review.


METHODS
Multivariate logistic regression analysis.


RESULTS
Analyses identified unfavorable factors such as aging, late initiation of treatment, and pretreatment pure-tone hearing thresholds at three lower frequencies adding up to 95 dB and more. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated a significantly greater improvement in hearing in patients treated with corticosteroids at high initial and total doses than in those treated with vitamin B12 and ATP without adding corticosteroids. In 145 patients treated with corticosteroids, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a trend toward greater improvement with high initial and total doses than with low doses.


CONCLUSIONS
Corticosteroids should be changed from low to high doses within 7 days after onset of ALSHL, if low doses are failing.
Suzuki
Mitsuya
M
Department of Otolaryngology, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Hospital, Fujimi, Tokyo, Japan. misuzuki-tky@umin.ac.jp
Otake
Rika
R
Kashio
Akinori
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D004232:Diuretics