Vertigo Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vertigo, including details on causes, symptoms, treatment, dizziness.

Audiometric patterns and prognosis in sudden sensorineural hearing loss in southern Taiwan.

Chang NC, Ho KY, Kuo WR

Department of Otolaryngology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, Taiwan.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate factors affecting the prognosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: This is a retrospective study of patients with SSNHL hospitalized at an academic medical center. All patients in this study were treated with prednisolone and dextran. We compared a new 7-pattern classification for audiometric pattern and prognosis analysis with Sheehy classification. RESULTS: We analyzed 148 affected ears in 146 patients. Occurrence of SSNHL was associated with changes in season. The best prognosis was with the midtone pattern of the 7-pattern classification and with the low-tone pattern of Sheehy classification. The older patients, those with vertigo, or those treated after 6 days had a poor prognosis. There was no significant association between ESR level and prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: SSNHL patients with midtone loss have the best prognosis. This study of the audiometric patterns and prognostic factors of SSNHL allow us to better predict its outcome.

Published 19 December 2005 in Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 133(6): 916-22.
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