Audiological characteristics and exploratory treatment of a rare condition of acute-otitis-media-associated sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Abstract

BACKGROUND Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common disease that is more prevalent in children. Most studies concerning AOM-associated sudden sensorineural hearing loss arecase reports and retrospective in nature, hence the etiology of AOM-associatedsudden hearing loss has not been fully established.AIMTo analyze audiological characteristics of AOM-associated sudden hearing lossand evaluate efficacy of combined tympanostomy tube placement (TTP) andintratympanic methylprednisolone.METHODSEight adult patients who were diagnosed with AOM-associated sudden hearingloss and ineffectively treated by conventional medical therapy were enrolled inthis study. Basic data were collected, and pure tone audiometry was performed toassess the audiological characteristics. Combination therapy with TTP andintratympanic methylprednisolone injection was given to the patients.RESULTSMixed or sensorineural hearing loss was observed at high frequencies (2–4 kHz).All the cases in this study were cured after TTP and intratympanic methylprednisolone.After treatment, the average hearing threshold at affected frequencieswas significantly lower than those in the pretreatment group (P < 0.05) and wassimilar to that in the healthy ears (P > 0.05).CONCLUSIONAOM rarely induces sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Combination therapy with TTP and intratympanic methylprednisolone injection may be effective afterfailure of conventional medical treatment