[Intratympanic dexamethasone as therapeutic option in sudden sensorineural hearing loss].
The administration of systemic corticosteroids has demonstrated effectiveness on the treatment of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. However, its systemic toxicity and subsequent difficulty for its justification in some patients have led to it being applied intratympanically. The main aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of intratympanic dexamethasone in these patients. In addition we evaluate the relationship between the prognosis of this condition and the magnitude of initial hearing loss, the presence of vertigo or delay in the beginning of therapy.



We performed a retrospective case study of 18 patients. All of them were treated with intratympanic dexamethasone (4 mg/ml), administered weekly for 3 weeks. The follow-up was 1 month at least. The therapeutic success was arbitrarily defined to be a mean improvement of 25 dB or greater.



72.2% of the population recovered hearing successfully. The mean auditory threshold prior to treatment was 91+/-25 dB versus 51+/-35 dB after the end of it (p<0.0005). In addition, we observed that the initial severity of the hearing loss, the presence of vertigo and the delay in starting therapy cannot be considered as indicators of poor auditory prognosis.



Intratympanic dexamethasone appears to be an effective therapeutic option for patients with sudden onset sensorineural hearing loss who, for whatever reason, cannot be treated with systemic steroids. Nonetheless, randomized controlled trials should be instituted to improve levels of scientific evidence.
Zernotti
Mario Emilio
ME
Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Sanatorio Allende, Córdoba, Argentina.
Paoletti
Oscar Alejandro
OA
Zernotti
Mauro
M
Martínez
Manuel Esteban
ME
Roques-Revol
Magdalena
M
Prina
Ana Carolina
AC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014432:Tympanic Membrane
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003907:Dexamethasone