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Meta-Analysis
. 2022 Jan 1;148(1):5-11.
doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2021.2685.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Patients With Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Temitope G Joshua  1 , Aysha Ayub  1 , Printha Wijesinghe  1 , Desmond A Nunez  1   2
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Patients With Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Temitope G Joshua et al. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. .

Abstract

Importance: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is an acute, usually unilateral deficit. Systemic and intratympanic steroids are accepted treatments. Although evidence suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may be beneficial, it is not widely offered.

Objectives: To review and evaluate recent evidence of the association of HBOT with hearing outcomes in SSNHL and to determine if HBOT should be a single or part of a combination treatment regimen.

Data sources: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, CAB, ICTRP, Google Scholar, Clinicaltrials.gov, and ISRCTN databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English from January 1, 2000, and April 30, 2020.

Study selection: Prospective RCTs involving only adult participants (≥18 years) with SSNHL and comparing HBOT, as a single or combination therapy, with control therapies, such as steroids and/or placebo. Only RCTs that used the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery's diagnostic criteria for SSNHL were included.

Data extraction and synthesis: Data were extracted independently by 2 researchers. A fixed-effects model was used for analysis and performed from November 30, 2020, to May 20, 2021.

Main outcomes and measures: The mean difference in absolute hearing gain recorded by pure-tone audiometric (PTA) thresholds averaged across 4 low (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 or 4 kHz) or 3 high (3 or 4, 6, and 8 kHz) frequencies was the primary outcome. The secondary outcomes were the odds ratio of hearing recovery defined as a hearing gain of ≥10 decibels (dB) in PTA average and treatment-related adverse effects.

Results: Of the 826 records initially identified, 358 duplicates and 451 articles were excluded based on article type, title, and abstract. The full texts of 17 articles were reviewed, of which 14 were excluded because they were either not prospective RCTs (11 articles), the participants were less than 18 years old (2 articles), or the PTA was not reported at frequencies of interest (1 article). Three prospective RCTs with a total of 88 participants who received HBOT in the intervention groups and 62 participants who received only medical therapy in the control groups were studied. The intergroup difference in mean absolute hearing gain (mean difference, 10.3 dB; 95% CI, 6.5-14.1 dB; I2 = 0%) and the odds ratio of hearing recovery (4.3; 95% CI, 1.6-11.7; I2 = 0%) favored HBOT over the control therapy.

Conclusions and relevance: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, HBOT as part of a combination treatment was significantly associated with improved hearing outcomes in patients with SSNHL over control treatments.

Trial registration: PROSPERO Identifier: CRD42020193191.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: None reported.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. PRISMA Flow Diagram
PTA denotes pure-tone audiometric average.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. Forest Plot of Mean Difference in PTA4 Change Following Treatment in the HBOT vs Control Groups
A, All 3 RCTs included were subjected to meta-analysis using a fixed-effects model. B, Subgroup meta-analysis excluding the study by Krajčovičová and colleagues. HBOT denotes hyperbaric oxygen therapy; IV, weighted mean difference; PTA4, pure-tone audiometric thresholds averaged across 4 low frequencies (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz); and RCTs, randomized controlled trials.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Forest Plot of Mean Difference in After Treatment PTA4 Between the HBOT vs Control Groups
A, Meta-analysis of all 3 RCTs included using a fixed-effects model. B, Subgroup analysis excluding the study by Krajčovičová et al. HBOT denotes hyperbaric oxygen therapy; IV, weighted mean difference; PTA4, pure-tone audiometric thresholds averaged across 4 low frequencies (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz), and RCTs, randomized controlled trials.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.. Forest Plot of Proportion of Patients Showing a 10-Point or Greater Audiometric Gain in the HBOT vs Control Groups
A fixed-effects model was used for meta-analysis. dB denotes decibels and HBOT, hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

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