title: Sudden hearing loss: a study of prognostic factors for hearing recovery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sudden hearing loss (SHL) is a disease, isolated or associated with vertigo, of unknown etiology. The aim of this study was to identify the prognostic factors for hearing recovery.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, we analyzed 287 cases of SHL (mean age 42). Tonal threshold audiometry, BAEP, and RM were the diagnostic procedures for clinical balance of the patient. The therapy used the following: corticosteroids, osmotic diuretic infusion, and vasoactives. All the factors were evaluated through statistical tests, Spearman test, and linear logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our study, we observed that 39.3% of patients improved, 27.9% remained unchanged, 29% had complete recovery, and 3.8% worsened. Therapy was not related to the degree of recovery from hearing loss, whereas young age, delayed diagnosis, and audiometric curve type were the three factors related to the degree of hearing recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study, we report a better overall recovery rate compared with spontaneous recovery. In particular, early treated patients as well as patients with upsloping hearing loss frequently recovered after treatment. Age, time between onset and treatment, and audiogram type were shown to be significantly related to outcome.
authors.affiliation: *Division of Otolaryngology, Pinerolo and Rivoli Hospitals, ASL TO3, Pinerolo †Private Practice, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magnano
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orione
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boffano
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Machetta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000187:drug effects; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004234:Diuretics, Osmotic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004234:Diuretics, Osmotic; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; C028994:betamethasone sodium phosphate; D001623:Betamethasone