title: Oral steroid treatment for hearing improvement in Ménière's disease and endolymphatic hydrops.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of oral steroid treatment on hearing in unilateral Ménière's disease and endolymphatic hydrops patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients presenting during the 2010 calendar year with confirmed unilateral Ménière's disease or endolymphatic hydrops. Those with a first visit and second visit audiogram (n = 58) were included in the analysis of oral steroid treatment effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  Steroid treatment for hearing loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  Change in hearing, as defined by change in affected ear threshold values or speech discrimination score from pretreatment visit to posttreatment visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hearing (threshold, speech discrimination score) in patients' affected ear did not significantly change from first visit to second visit after treatment with steroids relative to patients who did not receive steroid treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this and other studies would indicate that a Ménière's disease or endolymphatic hydrops patient is unlikely to experience an improvement in hearing from a short course of oral steroid. Clinically observed temporary improvement did not sustain over several months. Further work to elucidate the mechanisms underlying hearing loss in hydrops, perhaps focusing on the dendrite damage noted in animal models of hydrops, is warranted.
authors.affiliation: House Research Institute, Los Angeles, California 90057, USA.
authors.forename: Laurel M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: M Jennifer
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Derebery
authors.forename: Rick A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D018159:Endolymphatic Hydrops / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013063:Speech Discrimination Tests; D013067:Speech Perception; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D013256:Steroids