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Updated: Dec 18, 2025
Neuro-rehabilitation Approach for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Published on: January 25, 2016
Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Improves Hearing Level via Attenuating TLR4/NF-κB Mediated Inflammation in Sudden
Xue Hua Liu1, Fang Liang1, Xing Yuan Jia2
1Department of Hyperbaric Oxygen Medicine, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100020, China.
Objective:
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) has demonstrated efficacy in improving hearing levels of patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL); however, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. HBOT alleviates the inflammatory response, which is mediated by Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 and nuclear factor (NF)-κB. In this study we investigated whether HBOT attenuates inflammation in ISHHL patients via alteration of TLR4 and NF-κB expression.
Methods:
ISHHL patients ( n = 120) and healthy control subjects ( n = 20) were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomly divided into medicine group treated with medicine only ( n = 60) and HBO group receiving both HBOT and medicine ( n = 60). Audiometric testing was performed pre- and post-treatment. TLR4, NF-кB, and TNF-α expression in peripheral blood of ISSHL patients and healthy control subjects was assessed by ELISA before and after treatment.
Results:
TLR4, NF-κB, and TNF-α levels were upregulated in ISSHL patients relative to healthy control subjects; the levels were decreased following treatment and were lower in the HBO group than that in the medicine group post-treatment ( P < 0.05 and P < 0.01).
Conclusion:
HBOT alleviates hearing loss in ISSHL patients by suppressing the inflammatory response induced by TLR4 and NF-κB signaling.
