Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans

OBJECTIVES: Although many studies have assessed sudden deafness in adults, sudden deafness has not been evaluated in children. We therefore evaluated the differences in sudden deafness between children and adults. METHODS: We compared clinical manifestations, including gender, audiogram pattern of initial hearing loss, and recovery rate after treatment in 87 children and 707 adults diagnosed with sudden deafness from September 2003 and August 2012. RESULTS: There were no differences in sex, side, or audiogram between children and adults (P>0.05 each). Hearing recovery rates in children and adults were 72.4% and 70.6%, respectively (P>0.05). Both children and adults with mild hearing loss showed significantly greater hearing recovery rates than individuals with profound hearing loss (P<0.05 each). The percentage with initially mild and moderate hearing loss was higher in children than in adults, as were the recovery rates of children compared to adults with initially mild, moderate-severe, and profound hearing loss (P<0.05 each). In regard to final hearing outcome after treatment, a low percentage of children showed no improvement whereas a high percentage showed complete recovery; a higher percentage of children than of adults showed complete recovery (P<0.05). Recovery rate from profound hearing loss was significantly higher in children than in adults (60.0% vs. 45.4%, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Degree of hearing loss, gender, side, and recovery rate were similar in children and adults, but the rate of complete recovery was higher in children.
Adult* ; Child* ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sudden* ; Humans

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Zinc has antioxidant effect, anti-inflammatory effect and neuromodulative function. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether treatment with zinc can improve the outcome of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The study group consisted of 143 patients diagnosed as SSNHL. Of the patients, 82 were given corticosteroid treatment (group Ct) and 61 were given oral zinc plus corticosteroid treatment (group Zn). In group Zn, serum zinc level was checked before treatment and the patients with normal serum zinc level were included. Hearing was assessed before therapy and at 2 weeks, 1 month and 2 months after the initiation of therapy. RESULTS: A significantly larger hearing gain in pure tone average (group Ct vs. group Zn=26.40 dB HL vs. 34.28 dB HL) and at 2000 Hz (group Ct vs. group Zn=24.93 dB HL vs. 33.60 dB HL) and 8000 Hz (group Ct vs. group Zn=11.64 dB HL vs. 20.66 dB HL) were seen in group Zn compared with the group Ct. CONCLUSION: Oral zinc supplementation may have beneficial effects in the treatment of SSNHL, especially at 2000 and 8000 Hz.
Antioxidants ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural* ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Zinc*

No abstract available.
Arteries* ; Hearing Loss, Sudden* ; Hearing Loss, Unilateral ; Infarction* ; Pons

Humans ; Consensus ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/therapy* ; Hearing Loss, Sudden/therapy*

Autophagy ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans

While systemic steroid therapy is most widely considered as a main treatment for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), the disadvantages of its use are numerous side effects. Intratympanic steroid injection (ITS) delivers steroids through transtympanic route, hence avoids possible side effects with higher perilymph concentration. We conducted a reviewed 47 clinical studies after an online search of the PubMed databases for the following terms "sudden hearing loss, intratympanic steroid". Although the study settings are varied among reviewed articles, most studies in this review consistently showed some benefit of hearing in salvage cases. In addition, it is suggested that intratympanic steroids are equivalent to systemic steroid therapy as initial treatment for SSHL. In patients with contraindications against the use of systemic steroid, ITS may be considered as valuable option for primary therapy. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the optimal protocol of administration.
Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Perilymph ; Steroids

While systemic steroid therapy is most widely considered as a main treatment for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), the disadvantages of its use are numerous side effects. Intratympanic steroid injection (ITS) delivers steroids through transtympanic route, hence avoids possible side effects with higher perilymph concentration. We conducted a reviewed 47 clinical studies after an online search of the PubMed databases for the following terms "sudden hearing loss, intratympanic steroid". Although the study settings are varied among reviewed articles, most studies in this review consistently showed some benefit of hearing in salvage cases. In addition, it is suggested that intratympanic steroids are equivalent to systemic steroid therapy as initial treatment for SSHL. In patients with contraindications against the use of systemic steroid, ITS may be considered as valuable option for primary therapy. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the optimal protocol of administration.
Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Perilymph ; Steroids

Salicylate, the active ingredient of aspirin can cause sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus when plasma concentrations reach a critical level. The ototoxic mechanisms of salicylate remain unclear but hearing and tinnitus usually recovers a few days after intoxication. There have been few reports of salicylate-induced ototoxicity in Korea, and the majority is caused by a low dose of aspirin. Herein, we report a case of sudden hearing loss and tinnitus after acute salicylate intoxication and review recent updates on salicylate ototoxicity.
Aspirin ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Korea ; Plasma ; Sodium Salicylate ; Tinnitus

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The evaluation of vestibular function is very important for patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) as it is a well-known prognostic factor. The purpose of this study was to evaluate subclinical vestibular dysfunction (SVD) and its association with prognosis in sudden SNHL patients with and without dizziness using the vestibular function tests. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Seventy eight patients who had been diagnosed with unilateral sudden SNHL were examined by dividing them into three groups according to their clinical findings such as vestibular function and subjective symptoms: 1) normal, 2) SVD and 3) dizziness. Vestibular dysfunction and hearing recovery rates were also assessed. RESULTS: Patients with SVD accounted for 62.5% of patients even though they did not complain subjective dizziness. The extent of vestibular dysfunction in the dizziness group was greater than that in the SVD group (p=0.05). The hearing recovery rates for normal, SVD and dizziness group were 72% (13/18), 57% (17/30) and 48% (12/25), respectively. The incidence and extent of vestibular dysfunction was greater in patients with severe hearing loss than in those with moderate to severe loss. A significant correlation was noted between hearing recovery rate and vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) testing. Normal and abnormal VEMP data were associated with good and poor recovery (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The evaluation of vestibular function is important in sudden SNHL patients with dizziness; however, SVD also explains a significant proportion of sudden SNHL in the absence of dizziness. Notably, VEMP is useful tools for evaluating prognosis of sudden SNHL.
Dizziness ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural* ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Incidence ; Prognosis ; Vestibular Function Tests*