title: Long-term results of intratympanic prednisolone injection in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The results demonstrate the stability of the efficacy over time of the intratympanic prednisolone protocol and they suggest that the spontaneous recovery does not significantly influence the long-term evaluation of intratympanic therapy. A 10-day follow-up after 3 days of intratympanic prednisolone administration can be considered a sufficient period to evaluate the effectiveness of the undertaken therapy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the stability of the efficacy over time of intratympanic steroid therapy for patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 122 patients received an intratympanic steroid injection of prednisolone daily for 3 days. Audiograms were performed before therapy and at 10 days and 1 year after therapy. Successful recovery was defined as complete and partial recovery using Siegel's criteria and complete and marked recovery following Furuhashi's criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The comparison of audiometric data at study entry, at 10 days, and at 1 year after the treatment showed a statistically significant improvement of the mean pure tone audiometry. The evaluation of the hearing outcomes demonstrated a statistically significant improvement, with similar success rates when evaluated 10 days and 1 year after the treatment. Comparing the hearing outcomes at 1 year with the results at 10 days, no significant difference was detected between these two time points.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Filipo
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Attanasio
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cagnoni
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Masci
authors.forename: Francesca Y
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cartocci
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Mario
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Covelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014432:Tympanic Membrane
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011239:Prednisolone