Effectiveness of Various Treatments for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss—A Retrospective Study

(1) Background: A retrospective clinical study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of different pharmacological and non-pharmacological regimens for treating sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). (2) Methods: Adult patients (n = 130) diagnosed with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) and hospitalized between 2015 and 2020 were enrolled in this study. Depending on the treatment regimen applied, patients were divided into five groups. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (i) hearing loss of sudden onset; (ii) hearing loss of at least 30 dB at three consecutive frequencies; (iii) unilateral hearing loss; (iv) age above 18 years. Exclusion criteria were as follows: (i) no follow-up audiogram; (ii) bilateral hearing loss; (iii) recognized alternative diagnosis such as tumor, disorder of inner ear fluids, infection or inflammation, autoimmune disease, malformation, hematological disease, dialysis-dependent renal failure, postdural puncture syndrome, gene-related syndrome, mitochondrial disease; and (iv) age below 18 years. (3) Results: Complete recovery was found in 14% of patients (18/130) and marked improvement was found in 6% (8/130), giving an overall success rate of 20%. The best results were obtained in the second group (i.e., patients given intratympanic glucocorticoid + prolonged orally administered glucocorticoid) where the success rate was 28%. In general, the older the patient, the smaller the improvement in hearing, a correlation that was statistically significant. (4) Conclusions: In treating SSNHL, the highest rate of hearing recovery—28%—was in the group of patients given intratympanic corticoid plus prolonged treatment with orally administered glucocorticoid.

MAGNITUDE OF DIABETES MELLITUS IN PATIENTS OF SUDDEN SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS AND ITS EFFECT ON CORTICOSTEROID THERAPY

Objective: To determine the magnitude and effects of diabetes mellitus in patients of sudden sensorineural hearing loss and on the final outcome of therapy. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: ENT unit of Medical Teaching Institution Abbottabad, from Jul 2018 to Jun 2020. Methodology: A total of 84 patients presented who had idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss by using non probability consecutive sampling enrolled in the study. Basic parameters, age, diabetes mellitus and hearing loss were used for data collection. The data was analyzed by using SPSS version 23. Results: Out of total 52 (61.9%) were male and 32 (38.1%) were female, mean age was 45.62 ± 14.12 years from 14-85 years. A large number of patients presented within one week of onset of hearing loss 57 (67.86%). In our patient group 18 patients (21.4%) had diabetes mellitus and 66 patients (78.6%) did not have diabetes mellitus at presentation. Initial Hearing loss at presentation was significantly more in patients who had diabetes mellitus p=0.006 and there was statistically strong association between the final hearing improvement and diabetes mellitus p<0.001. Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus is associated with more severe hearing loss at initial presentation and poorer final outcome in patients with Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. As glycemic control does not affect the result so corticosteroid therapy must be given to all patients of sudden sensorineural hearing loss with diabetes mellitus.

Association of αENaC p. Ala663Thr Gene Polymorphism With Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Objective: The etiology of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is still unknown. It has been demonstrated that normal endolymph metabolism is essential for inner ear function and that epithelial sodium channels (ENaC) may play an important role in the regulation of endolymphatic Na+. This study aimed to explore the potential association between αENaC p. Ala663Thr gene polymorphism and SSNHL.Methods: Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to examine the genotype and allele frequency of the αENaC p. Ala663Thr polymorphism in 20 cases of low-frequency SSNHL (LF-SSNHL), 19 cases of high-frequency SSNHL (HF-SSNHL), 31 cases of all frequency SSNHL (AF-SSNHL), 42 cases of profound deafness SSNHL (PD-SSNHL), and 115 normal controls.Results: The T663 allele was found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of LF-SSNHL (p = 0.046, OR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.01–4.62). The TT genotype and T663 allele, on the other hand, conferred a protective effect for PD-SSNHL (AA vs. TT: p = 0.012, OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.08–0.74; A vs. T: p = 0.001, OR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.21–0.61). However, there was no statistically significant difference in genotype or allele frequency between the two groups (HF-SSNHL and AF-SSNHL) and the control group.Conclusion: The αENaC p. Ala663Thr gene polymorphism plays different roles in different types of SSNHL.