[Clinical evaluation of acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss]

To assess the effect of treatment on acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss and the related factors on the prognosis.

A total of 398 inpatients with sudden deafness were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 41 cases were diagnosed as acute low-tone hearing loss and then subjected to combined treatment with glucocorticoids. The relativity between patients' gender, disease duration and age of onset and curative effect were analyzed.

The acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss accounted for 10.30% of sudden deafness. Among which, female cases were significantly more than men, accounting for 70.73% of the total. At the first diagnosis, the average hearing threshold of three low tones was (48.43 +/- 11.67) dB against (18.86 +/- 9.40) dB of three high tones. After treatment, those two values were (27.07 +/- 11. 52) dB and (17.60 +/- 9.15) dB, respectively. There was statistical difference between three low tones and three high tones before treatment (t = 15.42, P < 0.01). There was statistical difference for three low tones before and after treatment (t = 10.69, P < 0.01) while there was no difference for the high ones before and after treatment(t = 1.93, P > 0.05). No obvious difference of the cure rate and effectiveness was found between male and female patients (P > 0.05). The incidence of acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss was high in the age range of 21-40 years, accounting for 68.29% of the total. The cure rates were statistically different between patients less than 40 years old and 41-60 years old (chi2 = 6.662, P < 0.05), but the effectiveness had no difference (P > 0.05). There was no difference of cure rate and effectiveness between those with duration less than or equal to 7 days and those with more than 7 days (P > 0.05).

The combined therapy with glucocorticoids shows good effects on treating acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss. Neither gender nor duration affect the prognosis. Age of onset is related to the prognosis.