title: Efficiency of hyperbaric oxygen and steroid therapy in treatment of hearing loss following acoustic trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most commonly used treatment modalities for acute acoustic trauma (AAT) include steroid and hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of combined steroid and HBO2 therapy in patients who develop AAT during firearms training and the effect of delay to treatment on treatment success.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients admitted with the complaint of hearing loss after firearms training between January 2011 and April 2013 were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were grouped according to date of admission; patients admitted within the first 10 days were included in Group A and those admitted between Days 11 and 30 in Group B.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 48 patients (73 ears) with AAT were included. There were 37 ears in Group A and 36 ears in Group B. The number of ears with complete treatment response, partial treatment response and treatment failure (unchanged) were one (2.7%), 7 (18.9%) and 29 (78.4%) in Group A and 0 (0%), 3 (8.3%) and 33 (91.7%) in Group B, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.095). Late-term results (at Week 6) demonstrated Group A showed higher hearing gain on high frequencies than Group B (p < 0.05), but this result was not consistent with clinical outcome results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The success rate of combined HBO2 and steroid therapy was very low in our study. However, early initiation of treatment results in better outcomes. Protective measures have great importance in preventing AAT.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salihoğlu
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ay
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cincik
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cekin
authors.forename: Enver
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cesmeci
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Memis
authors.forename: Günalp
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Uzun
authors.forename: Aytug
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Altundag
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Simsek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005389:Firearms; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000628:therapy*; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D008297:Male; D011282:Pregnenediones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D061665:Time-to-Treatment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D011282:Pregnenediones; C021988:deflazacort