[Treatment of sudden deafness with the calcium antagonist nimodipine. Results of a comparative study]

Abstract

In a prospective randomised clinical study on 80 patients with idiopathic sudden hearing loss the therapeutic value of nimodipine was evaluated. Nimodipine is a 4-5-dihydropyridine calcium antagonist with selective spasmolytic and vasodilatory properties on cerebral vessels. The mean improvement of hearing (250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 Hz) amounted to 16.5 +/- 11.3 dB as compared with 18.6 +/- 10.2 dB achieved by standard treatment with hydroxyethyl starch (HAES) and naftidrofuryl. The difference is not significant (p greater than 0.2). These results together with the low rate of side effects indicate nimodipine as a therapeutic alternative in cases of hypertension, cardiac failure and allergic predisposition. The possible role of spontaneous recovery on one side and of specific parameters such as rheologic abnormalities or type of audiogram are discussed. They are important for a more sophisticated therapeutic approach towards sudden hearing loss.