Idiopathic sudden sensineural hearing loss: demographic data and treatment in ENT practices in Germany (2014-2023)

Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) is an acute condition characterized by sudden, usually unilateral hearing loss. This study examines the demographic characteristics and treatment of ISSNHL patients in German ENT practices in the period from 2014 to 2023.

The retrospective analysis is based on data from the IQVIA™ Disease Analyzer database. Patients with a diagnosis of ISSNHL (ICD-10: H91.2) were analyzed with regard to age, sex, patients per practice and the therapies used, including oral corticosteroids, injectable corticosteroids, Ginkgo biloba, pentoxifylline and betahistine.

Data were collected on 96,824 patients from 72 ENT practices. The mean percentage of female patients was 56.1%. The mean age remained constant at around 51 years. On average, between 123 and 141 patients with ISSNHL were treated per year per practice. The proportion of patients receiving treatment on the day of diagnosis increased from 41.3% in 2014 to 45.3% in 2023. The majority of patients received oral corticosteroids, the use of which has increased over the years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of injectable corticosteroids, ginkgo biloba and betahistine remained stable, while the use of pentoxifylline decreased significantly.

The results show a stable demographic distribution and an increasing preference for oral corticosteroids in the treatment of ISSNHL. The decrease in the use of pentoxifylline likely reflects contemporaneous changes in guideline recommendations. These findings highlight an increasing need for evidence-based therapies for ISSNHL in clinical practice.