Sodium enoxaparin and venovenous hemofiltration in treating sudden sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus

Abstract

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) constitutes a considerable diagnostic challenge because it may be caused by many diverse conditions that may be difficult to recognize. No definitive treatment for SSNHL is universally accepted; the goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of sodium enoxaparin associated with venovenous hemofiltration in a therapeutic regimen. We treated 20 patients divided randomly into two numerically equal groups (A and B). Group A patients underwent this therapeutic protocol: Hemofiltration was performed at the first and last day of the protocol while, beginning on the second day of the protocol, sodium enoxaparin was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 4,000 IU once a day for 10 days. After the first hemofiltration, all the patients with complete auditory recovery were discharged without receiving the treatment with sodium enoxaparin. Group B patients received conventional therapy (cortisone, vasoactive agents, and vitamin complexes) administered in physiological solution intravenously twice daily for 10 days. In our randomized, controlled trial, treated patients in group A showed more improvement than did those in group B.