[Clinical characteristics of sudden low-tone hearing loss]

Objective:We aimed to investigate the prognosis and clinical characteristics of patients with acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss(ALHL) and the patients with sudden low-tone loss who were not classified in the audiometric definition ALHL of(non-ALHL).Method:Two hundred and seven patients diagnosed at the university hospital with idiopathic sudden low-tone loss of sensorineural hearing loss including 48 ALHL and 159 non- ALHL from Jan 2010 to Dec 2015.The patients were followed up in the long term with three months to 5 years.The rates of recurrence and/or progression to Ménière's disease for patients with ALHL were compared with those for non-ALHL patients.Result:The recurrence rate was 26.4% for non-ALHL and 16.7% for ALHL.There was statistically significant difference between the two patient groups.In ALHL patients,8.8% patients progressed to Ménière's disease,1.9% was diagnosised with acoustic neuroma and 5.7% with vestibular migraine.In non-ALHL patients,4.2% patients progressed to Ménière's disease.Conclusion:In clinical practice,sudden low-tone loss other than ALHL shows a potential for recurrence and progressed to Ménière's disease.