Estimate Hearing Recovery Rate Using Statistical Analysis of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Chang, Dong Sik; Park, Soo Wan; Choi, Jae Young; Kim, Ah Yong; Park, Kyung You; Cho, Chin Saeng; Choi, Young Jin

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Sudden deafness is not rare but its pathophysiology has not been fully determined and treatment is controversial at present. There is much debate regarding the prognostic factors in sudden deafness patients. Various studies have been done to find out factors concerned with the recovery of sudden deafness, but there are still many unknown components as the probability of recovery from sudden deafness depends on many factors. The aim of this study is to identify an expectation of recovery by regression formula.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
We reviewed the records of 241 patients who were admitted for treatment between 2002 and 2005 under the initial diagnosis of idiopathic sudden hearing loss. The patients were treated with steroid, vasodilator and plasma expander. Improvement of hearing was measured by Siegel's criteria and correcting rate. Prognostic factors that might be associated with the degree of hearing recovery were classified and analyzed by the optimal scale regression analysis method using SPSS ver. 12.0.
RESULTS
Siegel's criteria and correcting rate have statistical correlation with respect to age, initial hearing level, patterns of pure tone audiogram and duration of initial treatment from onset to hearing improvement after treatment. Vertigo is not associated with hearing improvement.
CONCLUSION
The initial hearing level, patterns of pure tone audiogram and duration of initial treatment from onset are associated with the degree of hearing recovery. We produced a calculating model of hearing improvement based on factors affecting hearing improvement.