Objective:To summarize and analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss（SSHL） accompanying diabetes mellitus, to explore whether diabetes affects the treatment outcomes during hospitalization, and to identify the factors influencing the efficacy of SSHL patients with diabetes. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from 939 patients with SSHL. The baseline characteristics, and onset conditions of the diabetes group（79 cases） and the non-diabetes group（860 cases） were compared. Propensity score matching（PSM） was applied in a 1︰ 2 ratio to match initial hearing levels with baseline characteristics such as age, sex, and BMI, resulting in 73 diabetes cases and 144 non-diabetes cases for treatment efficacy comparison. For the analysis of prognostic factors, a logistic regression model was established based on the treatment outcomes of 217 patients with SSHL. Results:The proportion of SSHL patients accompanying diabetes was 8.40%（79/939）. Compared to non-diabetic patients, those with diabetes were older（median age of 53 years in the diabetes group and 39 years in the non-diabetes group） and had a higher proportion of hypertension（43.04% vs 12.67%）, with significant difference observed（P<0.05）. After PSM, the treatment efficacy during hospitalization was better in the diabetes group than in the non-diabetes group（58.90% vs 47.92%）, although the difference was not statistically significant（P>0.05）. The prognosis of patients with SSNHL accompanied by diabetes was analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression model that included age, HDL-C, and INR as variables; however, no statistically significant differences were found（P>0.05）. Conclusion:Patients with SSHL accompanying diabetes are generally older with a higher incidence of hypertension. The presence of diabetes does not affect the treatment outcomes during hospitalization.
Humans ; Propensity Score ; Retrospective Studies ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/therapy* ; Hearing Loss, Sudden/therapy* ; Middle Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Male ; Female ; Prognosis ; Adult ; Logistic Models ; Diabetes Complications ; Aged ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of amplification intervention with hearing aids for restoring binaural auditory function in patients with unilateral moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss. Methods:This study selected 30 patients with normal hearing in one ear and moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss in the other ear. They were fitted with hearing aids for the worse ear and underwent more than half a year and one year of adaptation training. The Chinese translation of the Twelve-item version of SSQ（C-SSQ12）, angle identification test, speech recognition score（SRS） at different signal-to-noise ratios（SNR=5 and SNR=10） and audiometric thresholds were used to compare the results before and after hearing aid use to evaluate the effectiveness of the unilateral hearing loss intervention. Results:The results of the audiometric thresholds, C-SSQ12 scores, angle identification test, and SRS at SNR=5 and SNR=10 in the worse ear of the unilateral hearing loss patients after hearing aid use were all statistically significant compared to before hearing aid use（P<0.01）. Conclusion:Amplification intervention with hearing aids has significant effects on restoring binaural auditory function in patients with unilateral moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss.
Humans ; Hearing Aids ; Hearing Loss, Unilateral/therapy* ; Middle Aged ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/rehabilitation* ; Adult ; Female ; Male ; Auditory Threshold ; Young Adult ; Aged

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is a common and frequently-occurring disease. Looking at the efficacy evaluation of the diagnosis and treatment of sudden sensorineural hearing loss at home and abroad, each country has its own characteristics in the indicators and criteria of the treatment efficacy evaluation, and the common indicators of efficacy evaluation include: average pure-tone hearing threshold, the absolute value of hearing improvement of impaired frequency, the percentage of average pure-tone hearing threshold increase, speech discrimination score, speech recognition threshold, etc. The evaluation criteria mostly take the efficacy grade or the improvement level of average hearing threshold as the criterion of effective treatment, and the lack of unified standards is not conducive to the homogenization of global research related to sudden sensorineural hearing loss. In order to provide reference for the clinical evaluation of sudden sensorineural hearing loss in China, this study systematically reviewed the clinical practice guidelines and the evaluation indexes and criteria of clinical efficacy in high quality clinical multicenter studies of the disease in many countries.
Humans ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/diagnosis* ; Hearing Loss, Sudden/therapy* ; Prognosis ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; China ; Auditory Threshold ; Treatment Outcome

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

Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/therapy* ; Hearing Loss, Sudden/therapy* ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Treatment Outcome ; United States

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effect of electro-nape-acupuncture (ENA) combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and single HBOT on refractory flat descending idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL). METHODS: A total of 78 patients were randomized into an ENA combined with HBOT (ENA+HBOT) group and a HBOT group, 39 cases in each one. Patients in both groups were treated with oral extract of ginkgo biloba leaves and mecobalamin tablets. On the basis of the conventional medication treatment, HBOT was adopt in the HBOT group. On the basis of the treatment in the HBOT group, electro-nape-acupuncture was applied at Fengchi (GB 20), Gongxue (Extra), Zhongzhu (TE 3), Waiguan (TE 5) and Yifeng (TE 17), Tinggong (SI 19), Tinghui (GB 2) and the vertigo-auditory area of affected side in the ENA+HBOT group. Pulse acupuncture instrument was connected at Fengchi (GB 20) and Gongxue (Extra) for 30 min (with continuous wave, 2 Hz in frequency), the needles were retained for another 30 min after electroaupuncture. The treatment was given once a day, 6 times a week for 4 weeks in both groups. Before the treatment and 2,4 weeks into the treatment, the average auditory threshold, the scores of tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) were observed, and the therapeutic effect was evaluated in both groups. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the average auditory threshold, the scores of THI and DHI of 2,4 weeks into the treatment were decreased in both groups (<0.000 1). Compared with the HBOT group, the average auditory threshold, the scores of THI and DHI of 4 weeks into the treatment were lower in the ENA+HBOT group (<0.000 1). The total effective rate was 69.2% (27/39) in the ENA+HBOT group and 51.3% (20/39) in the HBOT group, there was no statistical difference (>0.05). CONCLUSION Electro-nape- acupuncture can improve the mean auditory threshold and the symptoms of tinnitus and dizziness in patients with refractory flat descending idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Dizziness ; therapy ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; therapy ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; therapy ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Tinnitus ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Vitamin B 12 ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use

Objective: Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) has demonstrated efficacy in improving hearing levels of patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL); however, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. HBOT alleviates the inflammatory response, which is mediated by Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 and nuclear factor (NF)-κB. In this study we investigated whether HBOT attenuates inflammation in ISHHL patients alteration of TLR4 and NF-κB expression. Methods: ISHHL patients ( = 120) and healthy control subjects ( = 20) were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomly divided into medicine group treated with medicine only ( = 60) and HBO group receiving both HBOT and medicine ( = 60). Audiometric testing was performed pre- and post-treatment. TLR4, NF-кB, and TNF-α expression in peripheral blood of ISSHL patients and healthy control subjects was assessed by ELISA before and after treatment. Results: TLR4, NF-κB, and TNF-α levels were upregulated in ISSHL patients relative to healthy control subjects; the levels were decreased following treatment and were lower in the HBO group than that in the medicine group post-treatment ( < 0.05 and < 0.01). Conclusion HBOT alleviates hearing loss in ISSHL patients by suppressing the inflammatory response induced by TLR4 and NF-κB signaling.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; China ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; therapy ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; therapy ; Humans ; Hyperbaric Oxygenation ; Inflammation ; genetics ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; NF-kappa B p50 Subunit ; genetics ; metabolism ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult

Hearing loss is very common and economically burdensome. No accepted therapeutic modality for sensorineural hearing loss is yet available; most clinicians emphasize rehabilitation, placing hearing aids and cochlear implants. Photobiomodulation (PBM) employs light energy to enhance or modulate the activities of specific organs, and is a popular non-invasive therapy used to treat skin lesions and neurodegenerative disorders. Efforts to use PBM to improve hearing have been ongoing for several decades. Initial in vitro studies using cell lines and ex vivo culture techniques have now been supplanted by in vivo studies in animals; PBM protects the sensory epithelium and triggers neural regeneration. Many reports have used PBM to treat tinnitus. In this brief review, we introduce PBM applications in hearing research, helpful protocols, and relevant background literature.
Animals ; Cell Line ; Cochlear Implants ; Culture Techniques ; Epithelium ; Hearing Aids ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing ; In Vitro Techniques ; Low-Level Light Therapy ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; Regeneration ; Rehabilitation ; Skin ; Tinnitus

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) does not recover and only few exceptions exist. It is mostly due to the reason that hair cells in the cochlea cannot regenerate once damaged. Therefore, clinical approaches for SNHL mostly rely on the implantable or external device to deliver sound to brain. Despite the advance of technology, current strategy does not replicate the sound perception of naïve inner ear. To overcome this issue, novel trials to protect or rescue hair cells from the ototoxic insults are investigated. One of these is gene therapy. Protective gene therapy has been applied to several ototoxic insults, but some trials have shown negative effect. Gene therapy using neurotrophin, one of the growth factor, has been expected to show protective effect against acoustic overexposure. But unregulated and untargeted expression of Ntf3 revealed adverse effect showing deterioration of nerve ending and synapse. Meanwhile, gene therapies have been adopted and tried for cisplatin ototoxicity. Most of the studies has been shown promising outcome. Also several studies have shown protective effect of gene therapy for aminoglycoside ototoxicity. Recent publication showed that heat-shock protein 70 was effective in preventing aminoglycoside ototoxicity. Furthermore, use of gene therapy expands to the field of cochlear implant, in which it can be used as an enhancer of treatment outcome. Application of neurotrophins resulted in increase of spiral ganglion densities as well as migration of peripheral nervous fibers to the location which would be closer to the electrode when implanted.
Acoustics ; Brain ; Cisplatin ; Cochlea ; Cochlear Implants ; Ear, Inner ; Electrodes ; Genetic Therapy* ; Hair ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing* ; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins ; Nerve Endings ; Nerve Growth Factors ; Publications ; Spiral Ganglion ; Synapses ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND: Although combined chemotherapy has increased survival rates among children with cancer, such treatments can induce sensorineural hearing loss. Therefore, we aimed to identify risk factors for hearing impairments in patients with childhood cancer.METHODS: Audiograms were obtained from 115 patients with childhood cancer and survivors (age < 20 years). Pure tone audiometry (PTA) was performed at octave intervals within the range of 250-8000 Hz. We evaluated clinical risk factors associated with hearing impairments. Hearing loss was evaluated based on the maximal decibel (dB) loss in any frequency for each ear (RA(max) or LA(max)) and weighted mean dB loss for specific frequencies (RA(avg) or LA(avg)).RESULTS: Forty percent of patients (N=46) exhibited hearing loss >20 dB based on the weighted mean value in either ear. Severe hearing impairments were observed in 56% of patients with brain tumors. Although cisplatin or vinca alkaloids were significant risk factors for hearing impairment, the use of both cisplatin and vinca alkaloids exhibited the highest odds ratio for hearing impairment (P < 0.001, < 0.001 for R/LA(max); P=0.099, 0.039 for R/LA(avg)). Multivariate analysis revealed that the use of both cisplatin and vinca alkaloids was an independent risk factor for hearing impairment based on RA(max), LA(max), and LA(avg) (P < 0.001, < 0.001, 0.039, respectively).CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that cisplatin and vinca alkaloids exert an additive effect on the risk of hearing impairment in survivors of childhood cancer. Further prospective studies are thus required to determine the most effective chemotherapeutic regimen for reducing ototoxicity.
Audiometry ; Brain Neoplasms ; Child ; Cisplatin ; Drug Therapy ; Ear ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate ; Survivors ; Vinca Alkaloids ; Vinca