[Prognostic factors in sudden deafness].

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is still a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma and is very difficult to predict recovery in it. Different factors may influence a prognosis like severity of hearing loss, duration of symptoms before treatment, presence of vertigo, type of audiogram and age of patients. The aim of the study was an evaluation of the hearing improvement in sudden deafness in relation to some of these elements. A retrospective analysis of 119 patients treated for sudden sensorineural hearing loss during 10 years was done. Clinical otolaryngological, neurological and ophthalmological examination, audiologic and ENG tests were carried out. Hearing improvement was obtained in 51 patients (43%). Hearing recovery was recorded in 38 patients (66%) in whom duration of disease before treatment was no longer than 7 days, in 9 patients (25%) with a period 8-14 days and in 4 patients (16%)--with period 15-30 days (66% vs 25% vs 16%, p < 0.001, 25% vs 16% p = 0.39). Hearing improvement was more frequent in patients with initially mild (51.6%) than severe (38.7%) and profound hearing loss (25%) (51.5% vs 25%, p < 0.05). Hearing recovery was observed in 18 patients (33.3%) with vertigo and in 33 patients (50.8%) without vertigo (p = 0.056). In analysis of age (five groups: until 30 years, 31-40 years, 41-50 years, 51-60 years, over 60 years) in comparison with hearing recovery it was not found any significance (45.5% vs 45.8% vs 46.4% vs 37% vs 38.9%, p = 0.94). It was stated that in patients with sudden deafness duration of the disease before treatment and level of hearing loss may significantly influence an outcome, also vertigo may worsen a recovery, contrary age of the patients does not seem as important prognostic factor.