Early Intratympanic Methylprednisolone in Sudden SNHL: A Frequency-wise Analysis

In this study, 33 patients with sudden onset (unilateral or bilateral) of hearing loss were treated with intratympanic methylprednisolone. The duration at which the drug was admi nistered and the age of the participants was taken into consideration. Main outcome measures included audiometry results at low, medium and high hearing loss frequencies. The specific frequency at which the hearing improvement took place was tabulated. It was observed that hearing improved significa ntly if the steroid is injected within the first 4 days of onset (p <  0.05) at all the frequencies. A gain of 15 dB or more was achieved in more than 78% patients after injecting methylprednisolone intratympanically. A statistically significant association was found between recovery rate and frequency of hearing loss with patients showing greater improvement at lo w hearing loss frequency in comparison to mid and high frequencies (p <  0.05). The drug efficacy does not change with the age of the patient.
Source: Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery - Category: ENT & OMF Source Type: research