[Therapy of acute hearing loss]

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neurology

Context:

• Sudden deafness (sudden sensorineural hearing loss) is an otologic emergency.
• Various treatments have been proposed, including vasodilators and stellate ganglion blocks.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the efficacy of different treatments for sudden deafness.
• To investigate the contribution of spontaneous recovery to treatment outcomes.

Summary:

• No significant difference in outcomes was observed between Rheomacrodex, Procain, Dusodril, Ronicol, Complamin, or stellate ganglion anesthesia.
• Good treatment outcomes in sudden deafness are primarily attributed to spontaneous recovery, not the specific interventions.
• The perceived "good effect of early therapy" is likely a result of selecting patients who would have recovered spontaneously.

Impact:

• Highlights the critical role of spontaneous recovery in sudden deafness.
• Suggests current therapeutic interventions may not significantly alter the natural course of the condition.
• Underscores the need for rigorous prospective randomized controlled trials to definitively assess treatment efficacy.