The Effect of Combined Aniviral Agent Therapy for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Kim, Jae Young; Cho, Jae Joon; Kim, Jin Kuk; Lee, Min Woo; Nam, Tae Wook

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss is a disease that develops within several hours to several days. Its etiology is not verified yet, but disturbance of blood circulation in the inner ear, intracochlear membrane break, inner ear hydrops and viral infection are considered as possible causes of disease. The herpes virus family is one of the possible viral pathogens that can cause a sudden hearing loss. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of antiviral agent (Vacrovir, 200 mg/T, acyclovir) on sudden sensorineural hearing loss. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Fifty-eight ears were studied from 56 patients who were admitted to Konkuk University Medical Center Minjoong Hospital from December 1993 to August 1999. Fifty eight ears were divided into experimental (30 ears) and control (28 ears) groups. Acyclovir (3000 mg/ day) was added to the therapeutic regimen in the experimental group. The effect of antiviral agent therapy was analyzed according to the factors relating to the prognosis. RESULT: 1) Total recovery rate of the experimental group(76.7%) was significantly (p<0.05) better than that of the control group (46.4%). 2) In the patients whose age was less than fifty, the recovery rate of experimental group (84.2%) was significantly better than that of the control group (50,0%). 3) The patients who had been treated within 2 weeks after symptoms had developed had a better recovery rate in the experimental group (80.8%) as compared with the control group (48.0%) significantly(p<0.05). 4) If the initial hearing loss was in the mild to severe range, the recovery rate of experimental group (77.8%) was better than that of the control group (41.7%) with the significance of p<0. 05. 5) In the patients who had tinnitus as a accompanying symptom, the recovery rate of experimental group (76.0%) was better than that of the control group (43.5%) significantly (p<0.05). 6) In the patients who had no dizziness, the recovery rate of experimental group (80.0%) was better than that of the control group (47.4%) significantly (p<0.05). 7) In the cases associated with URI (upper respiratory infection), the recovery rate of experimental group (100.0%) was better than that of the control group (66.7%), but this was not statistically significant (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that the antiviral agent therapy seems to be effective on the recovery of sudden sensorineural hearing loss. The factors which affect good prognosis in the antiviral agent therapy were age (less than fifty years), early initial treatment that began within 2 weeks, mild to severe hearing loss, accompanying symptom of tinnitus and no dizziness.