A clinical study of sudden deafness

Abstract

Conclusions: Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSHL) was commonly seen in middle aged people. Tinnitus was reported by 87.2% of the patients, and dizziness or vertigo were reported by 48.5%. The most common concomitant disorder of SSHL was hyperlipidemia.

Objective: A retrospective register study with SSHL was performed in Xi'an, China, from 2000-2009.

Results: Of 617 inpatients, the right ear was affected in 267 cases, the left ears in 282 cases, and both ears in 68 cases. The most common age of patients was 41-50 years. There were 20.4% SSHL patients with hypertension, coronary artery disease, or diabetes, and 49.6% patients with hyperlipidemia. Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABR) were performed in 460 patients (504 ears) before treatment, and the ABR threshold of 56.4% ears was > 90 dB. The constituent ratio of patients with an ABR threshold over 90 dB was greater in the vertigo group than the other group. CT and/or MRI scans were available in 277 cases, of which 40 cases (14.4%) were abnormal.

Keywords: ABR; Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL); inner ear; vertigo.