Analysis of Results and Prognostic Factors according to the Beginning Time of Treatment of Lasix, Vitamin and Carbogen Inhalation Therapy on Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Seo, Kang Wook; Kim, Hoon; Hong, Young Ho; Yang, Hoon Shik; Kim, Kyung Su; Kim, Hee Jong

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss generally refers to hearing losses of sensorineural origin, which have evolved over a period of a few hours to a few days. Therapy follows a polypragmatic approach based on the different theories of its origin. Therefore, drugs applied are mainly antiinflammatory, antiviral and vasoactive in nature. The likelihood of recovery is influenced by the shape of the audiogram, the age of the patients, and the presence or absence of vertigo. Very little information is available about the results of therapy for sudden sensorineural hearing loss with the delayed treatment. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic factors and therapeutic results of Lasix-Vitamin and carbogen inhalation therapy on sudden sensorineural hearing loss depending on the initiation time of treatment. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: We studied 167 cases of sudden sensorineural hearing loss, which were treated with Lasix-Vitamin and carbogen inhalation therapy at the Chung-Ang University Hospital from May 1990 to April 2004. In a retrospective chart review, we evaluated the prognostic factors and the results depending on different beginning time of treatment. RESULTS: The therapeutic results showed that 90 cases (53.9%) gained hearing recovery. Patients who were treated within 7 days of onset showed recovery in 64 cases (76.2%), but 26 cases (31.3%) of the patients with who began treatment later than 8 days showed improvement of 15 dB or more in hearing threshold in pure tone audiometry. Among many prognostic factor, dizziness showed statistically significant correlation with the final result of hearing recovery in the delayed treatment group. CONCLUSION: The patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss must be treated within 7 days, and dizziness is significant prognostic factor of patient with delayed treatment.