Faculty Opinions recommendation of A prospective, multi-centered study of the treatment of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss with combination therapy versus high-dose prednisone alone: a 139 patient follow-up.

Objectives: To describe and increase awareness of a rare cause of unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Methods: Case report and literature review. Results: We present a 66-year-old female who suffered left-sided sudden sensorineural hearing loss and dizziness. Diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) did not reveal masses or lesions along the eighth cranial nerve or in the inner ear. Upon eventual referral to neurotology clinic, hypertrophic pachymeningitis of her left internal auditory canal and adjacent middle and posterior fossa dura were identified. The ensuing laboratory workup for autoimmune and infectious etiology revealed mild elevation of ACE 93 (9-67) but otherwise normal results. Conclusions: Idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis is a diagnosis of exclusion. Neoplastic, infectious, and autoimmune causes must be ruled out. The prevailing treatment for this condition is high-dose corticosteroids. This entity should be considered when evaluating MRI scans obtained in the setting of sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

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Metformin decreases the risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss in patients with diabetes mellitus: A 14-year follow-up study

Diabetes and Vascular Disease Research ◽

10.1177/1479164119826292 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 324-327 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Hsin-Chien Chen ◽

Chi-Hsiang Chung ◽

Chieh-Hua Lu ◽

Wu-Chien Chien

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Hearing Loss ◽

Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽

Sensorineural Hearing ◽

Lower Percentage ◽

Research Database ◽

Patients With Diabetes

Background: The risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss associated with metformin use in patients with diabetes mellitus has not been fully examined. Study design: It is a retrospective matched-cohort study. Subjects and methods: We examined the medical records of patients with diabetes mellitus over 18 years old in Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database for the period between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2013, to establish matched cohorts (14,109 with and 42,327 without metformin use) at a ratio of 1:3 by sex, age and index year. Results: We used a Cox regression hazard model to identify risk factors of sudden sensorineural hearing loss during 14 years of follow-up, and the results indicate that a significantly lower percentage of diabetes mellitus patients with metformin use ( p = 0.033) developed sudden sensorineural hearing loss compared with those without metformin use (0.21%, 29/14,109 vs 0.32%, 136/42,327). After adjustment for age and other variables [adjusted hazard ratio: 0.630 (95% confidence interval: 0.422–0.941, p = 0.024)], this study also demonstrated that metformin use appeared to reduce the risk of developing sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Conclusion: This study demonstrated an association between metformin use and lower incidence of sudden sensorineural hearing loss among patients with diabetes mellitus.

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