Efficacy of Concomitant Intratympanic Steroid Injection for Sudden Deafness According to Initial Hearing Loss.
OBJECTIVE
We identified the efficacy and appropriate target group for intratympanic steroid injections (ITS) in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL).


METHODS
Retrospective case-control study.


METHODS
Fifty-five ears treated with concomitant ITS and systemic steroids and 165 ears without ITS treatment were identified. Each case had three controls matched according to the age, sex, and the presence of vertigo. Patients were divided into subgroups according to pure tone audiometric configuration and the levels of initial hearing loss. Hearing results and frequency-related hearing gain were investigated.


RESULTS
Additional ITS was effective for patients with an ascending type audiogram or patients with Grade 3 (60-90 dB) initial hearing loss. Concomitant ITS, however, resulted in a negative effect on hearing in patients with Grades 1 and 2 (<60 dB). ITS resulted in significant (p < 0.05) hearing improvement at 250  Hz in the Grade 3 (60-90  dB) and Grade 4 (>90  dB) ITS subgroups.


CONCLUSIONS
The efficacy of additional ITS for ISSNHL was different among subgroups with various levels of initial hearing loss or audiogram configuration.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School and Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea.
Hyung Chae
HC
Yang
Yong Beom
YB
Cho
Chul Ho
CH
Jang
Hyong-Ho
HH
Cho
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000069555:Injection, Intratympanic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014432:Tympanic Membrane
D005938:Glucocorticoids