Can intratympanic dexamethasone added to systemic steroids improve hearing outcome in patients with sudden deafness?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of intratympanic dexamethasone (ITD) injections added to systemic steroids in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (HL).


METHODS
A total of 120 patients diagnosed with sudden HL were treated with ITD injections (0.3 mL on days 1, 3, and 5) plus 48 mg methylprednisolone (ITD group) or methylprednisolone alone (control group).


RESULTS
The total recovery rate after the treatment was 73.3% in the ITD group and 70.0% in the control group. Although improvements in pure-tone average were the same in the two groups, the ITD group showed significantly better hearing improvement at 250 Hz than the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The addition of ITD to systemic steroids did not result in significant improvements in the treatment of idiopathic sudden HL.
Ahn
Joong Ho
JH
Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Yoo
Myung Hoon
MH
Yoon
Tae Hyun
TH
Chung
Jong Woo
JW
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D014432:Tympanic Membrane
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone