What kind of patients are suitable for evaluating the therapeutic effect of sudden deafness?

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to find out appropriate patients to evaluate the therapeutic effect of sudden deafness.

STUDY DESIGN

The study design was a retrospective case review.

SETTING

The study was performed at a university hospital.

PATIENTS

A series of 443 patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss who visited the authors within 1 week from the onset participated.

INTERVENTIONS

Relationship between interval from the onset and treatment prognosis was investigated.

RESULTS

The significant difference in prognosis related to the days from the onset to the initial visit was noted only in the patients with the initial hearing level from 50-65 dB. The prognosis of the patients who visited the authors on the next day from the onset was excellent. Whereas, in the patients with initial hearing level worse than 70 dB, no significant difference in prognosis was noted among the days of visit.

CONCLUSIONS

The patients with the initial hearing level worse than 70 dB and who visited the authors within 8 days from the onset were appropriate for candidates in evaluating the therapeutic effect of sudden deafness.