Effect of corticosteroid-based combination therapy on sudden deafness: a retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neurology
• Audiology

Background:

• Systemic corticosteroids are first-line for sudden deafness (SD).
• Factors influencing SD treatment outcomes and combination therapy efficacy remain unclear.
• This study investigates predictors of SD treatment success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of treatment initiation time and patient age on SD outcomes.
• To evaluate the efficacy of combination therapies including hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), batroxobin, and acupuncture.
• To determine the effectiveness of remedial intratympanic corticosteroid (ICT) in non-responders.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 248 SD patients receiving corticosteroid-based combination therapy.
• Classification of patients into four subtypes.
• Evaluation of hearing improvement and symptom relief (vertigo, tinnitus).

Main Results:

• Early treatment (≤7 days) and younger age (<18 years) significantly correlated with better outcomes (P < 0.05).
• Batroxobin and acupuncture showed no significant impact on treatment outcomes (P > 0.05).
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) was associated with worse hearing improvement in total deafness and low-frequency descending subtypes (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Emphasize early-stage treatment (≤7 days) for sudden deafness, especially in young patients.
• Combined therapies, particularly HBOT, do not improve SD prognosis.
• Remedial intratympanic corticosteroid (ICT) offers further benefit for SD patients with total deafness who poorly respond to initial systemic therapy.