title: Self-reported symptoms in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated self-reported symptoms in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicenter clinical investigation in 9 university hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 140 patients with ISSHL and 24 patients with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (USHL; control) were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire on symptoms of ISSHL was distributed and the Short-Form Health Survey (Version 2) was used for assessing the quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In response to questions on hearing difficulty, many of patients in both groups experienced symptoms. In response to questions on hearing-related discomfort, a significantly higher number of patients with ISSHL experienced symptoms compared with those with USHL. Compared with a high incidence of tinnitus in patients with ISSHL, very low incidence of tinnitus was observed in those with USHL.In the multiple linear regression analysis, hearing-related discomfort was the sole significant factor on the Mental Component Summary scores of the Short-Form Health Survey (Version 2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many patients with ISSHL experience several symptoms such as hearing difficulty, hearing-related discomfort, tinnitus, and anxiety. Hearing-related discomfort strongly affected the quality of life in patients with ISSHL.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kitasato University, School of Medicine, Kanagawa; †Department of Hearing implant science, Shinshu University, School of Medicine, Nagano; and ‡Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Keio University, School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.forename: Makito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohhashi
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ino
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis