title: Clinical Study on 136 Children with Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of sudden sensorineural hearing loss in children (CSSNHL) is consistently increasing. However, the pathology and prognosis of CSSNHL are still poorly understood. This retrospective study evaluated clinical characteristics and possible associated factors of CSSNHL.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirty-six CSSNHL patients treated in Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Institute of Otolaryngology at Chinese PLA General Hospital between July 2008 and August 2015 were included in this study. These patients were analyzed for clinical characteristics, audiological characteristics, laboratory examinations, and prognostic factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 136 patients (151 ears), 121 patients (121 ears, 80.1%) were diagnosed with unilaterally CSSNHL, and 15 patients (30 ears, 19.9%) with bilateral CSSNHL. The complete recovery rate of CSSNHL was 9.3%, and the overall recovery rate was 37.7%. We found that initial degree of hearing loss, onset of treatment, tinnitus, the ascending type audiogram, gender, side of hearing loss, the recorded auditory brainstem response (ABR), and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) had prognostic significance. Age, ear fullness, and vertigo had no significant correlation with recovery. Furthermore, the relevant blood tests showed 30.8% of the children had abnormal white blood cell (WBC) counts, 22.1% had elevated homocysteine levels, 65.8% had high alkaline phosphatase (ALP), 33.8% had high IgE antibody levels, and 86.1% had positive cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG antibodies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CSSNHL commonly occurs unilaterally and results in severe hearing loss. Initial severe hearing loss and bilateral hearing loss are negative prognostic factors for hearing recovery, while positive prognostic factors include tinnitus, gender, the ascending type audiogram, early treatment, identifiable ABR waves, and DPOAEs. Age, vertigo, and ear fullness are not correlated with the recovery. Some serologic indicators, including the level of WBC, platelet, homocysteine, ALP, positive CMV IgG antibody, fibrinogen, and some immunologic indicators, are closely related to CSSNHL.
authors.forename: Feng-Jiao
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Da-Yong
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong-Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Feng-Bo
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Zi-Fang
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rosenhall
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Sten
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hellstrom
authors.forename: Xi-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Mao-Li
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Institute of Otolaryngology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
authors.forename: Qiu-Ju
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; D012189:Retrospective Studies