The acoustic stapedial reflex as a prognostic indicator in sudden onset sensorineural hearing loss

Forty consecutive patients with sudden onset sensorineural hearing loss treated similarly over a four-year period were studied retrospectively to determine a correlation between presence or absence of the acoustic stapedial reflex (ASR) and recovery of hearing. Six patients were dropped from the study because of incomplete data. There were 42 affected ears in the remaining 34 patients. The ASR was present in 28 (67%) of the 42 affected ears that had either full or partial recovery. The ASR was not present in 11 ears (26%) in which there was no recovery. The ASR was present in three ears (7%) in which there was no recovery. There was a statistically significant association (P < .001) between presence of the ASR and eventual full or partial recovery of hearing in this series. The ASR would have been an effective prognostic indicator for 32 (94%) of our 34 patients (39 [93%] of 42 affected ears).