Is the time from the onset to the treatment a prognostic indicator for hearing recovery in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss?
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to investigate whether the time from the onset of symptoms to the start of treatment is a prognostic indicator in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL).


METHODS
In this study, 96 patients (58 males, 38 females; mean age 37.8±2.5 years; range 16 to 67 years) who were diagnosed with ISSNHL in our clinic between January 1992 and April 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were treated with dextran 40 (rheomacrodex), pentoxifyllin, vitamin B complex and vitamin C regimen over 10 days with hospitalization and bed rest. The patients were tested by pure-tone audiometry. Audiograms were obtained on alternate days and at the end of the treatment.


RESULTS
There was a complete recovery in 45 (60%) of 75 patients whose treatment was started in the first seven days, while a partial recovery was observed in 17 (22.66%) and no recovery was observed in 13 (17.33%). There was a complete recovery in two (9.52%) of 21 patients whose treatment was started after the eighth day, while a partial recovery was observed in seven (33.33%) and no recovery was observed in 12 (57.14%).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study results suggest that treatment outcomes are better in the patients presenting to hospital at an early stage of loss of hearing.
Department of Otolaryngology, Medical Faculty of Cumhuriyet University, 58140 Sivas, Turkey.
İsmail Önder
İÖ
Uysal
Togay
T
Müderris
Kerem
K
Polat
Salim
S
Yüce
Sefa
S
Gültürk
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001510:Bed Rest; D003911:Dextrans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010952:Plasma Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
D003911:Dextrans; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D010952:Plasma Substitutes; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D014815:Vitamins; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D010431:Pentoxifylline