Clinical Analysis of Delayed Improvement in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Lee, Dong Hee; Jun, Beom Cho; Lee, Jung Hak; Son, Dong Hwa; Yeo, Sang Won

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the time-dependent progress and the delayed improvement in patients who were already treated by combination therapy including oral steroid for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
This study examined patients presenting with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss at a secondary referral and a university-based center over 10 years. This retrospective study included only those patients who could be followed up for at least 3 months.
RESULTS
Of 121 patients who recovered over the 3 months of follow-up period, 9.9% showed a delayed recovery of later than 1 month after discharge. Of 55 patients who did not recover until the discharge but recovered thereafter, 78.2% recovered within 1 month, 5.5% recovered between 1 to 2 months, 12.7% recovered between 2 to 3 months, and 3.6% recovered 3 months later after the discharge. The delayed recovery was found frequently in partial or slightly recovery groups by Siegel's criteria.
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrated the presence of delayed recovery in patients who were treated by combination therapy, including oral steroid for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss, although this result should be further studied by additional research.