A clinical study of sudden deafness

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Audiology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL) is an otologic emergency.
• Understanding the demographic and clinical characteristics of SSHL is crucial for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the epidemiological and clinical features of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL).
• To identify common comorbidities and audiological findings in SSHL patients.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective register study was conducted.
• Data from 617 inpatients diagnosed with SSHL between 2000 and 2009 in Xi'an, China, were analyzed.

Main Results:

• The most affected age group was 41-50 years.
• Tinnitus (87.2%) and dizziness/vertigo (48.5%) were common symptoms.
• Hyperlipidemia (49.6%) was the most prevalent comorbidity.
• Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) revealed thresholds > 90 dB in 56.4% of ears.
• Abnormal findings on CT/MRI scans were observed in 14.4% of cases.

Conclusions:

• Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL) predominantly affects middle-aged adults.
• Associated symptoms include tinnitus and vertigo, with hyperlipidemia being a common comorbidity.
• Severe hearing loss, indicated by ABR thresholds, is frequent in SSHL patients.