title: [A comparative study on efficacy of glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids and vasoactive drugs on reversing hearing loss in patients suffering idiopathic sensorineural cochlear hypoacusis. A preliminary clinical trial].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sensory neural hearing loss (SNHL) is a disorder characterised by an important deterioration of the auditory function. Re-establishing normal ion homeostasis of the endolymph could be related to hearing recovery and it might be mediated by mineralocorticoids. The main purpose of this preliminary, randomized controlled clinical trial was assessing the recovery of idiopathic sensory neural cochlear hearing loss (SNHL) by comparing the efficacy of 2 types of steroids versus vasodilators.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 3-month intervention involved 70 patients, allocated into 4 different groups: a control with no medication, consisting of 14 patients (8 men and 6 women); a vasodilator group of 21 patients (11 men and 10 women); a glucocorticoid group with 16 patients (10 men and 6 women); and a mineralocorticoid therapy group, consisting of 19 patients (11 men and 8 women). The level of hearing loss and its topography were estimated using Liminal Tone Audiometry (LTA) and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our research found overall greater efficacy of mineralocorticoids versus glucocorticoids and vasodilators. There was better response in women than in men and it was higher from the left ear, regardless of patient gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hearing gain was significantly superior in the mineralocorticoid group, followed by the glucocorticoid group. However, the responses to vasodilators were lesser and of low statistical significance.
authors.affiliation: Profesor titular de Otorrinolaringología.Facultad de Medicina.La Laguna. Electronic address: emcampos@ull.es.
authors.forename: Eugenia María
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Campos-Bañales
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología. Departamento de Cirugía. Hospital Universitario de Canarias.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: López-Campos
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología. Departamento de Cirugía. Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: de Serdio-Arias
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología. Departamento de Cirugía. Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Esteban-Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacología Clínica. Departamento de Medicina Física y Farmacología. Hospital Universitario de Canarias.
authors.forename: Mar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Sáinz
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacología Clínica. Departamento de Medicina Física y Farmacología. Hospital Universitario de Canarias.
authors.forename: Álvaro
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Cortés
authors.affiliation: Profesor titular de Otorrinolaringología.Facultad de Medicina.La Laguna.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: López-Aguado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001299:Audiometry / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005438:Fludrocortisone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008901:Mineralocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009553:Nimodipine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011282:Pregnenediones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D008901:Mineralocorticoids; D011282:Pregnenediones; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009553:Nimodipine; C021988:deflazacort; D005438:Fludrocortisone
keywords: Audiometría tonal liminal; Auditory brainstem response; Hipoacusia neurosensorial idiopática coclear; Idiopathic sensorineural cochlear hearing loss; Liminal tonal audiometry; Potencial auditivo de tronco cerebral