Therapeutic efficacy of super-high-dose steroid therapy in patients with profound sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a comparison with conventional steroid therapy

Abstract

Background

In patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), steroid therapy is an optional treatment method, but there is controversy about its dose.

Objective

We aimed to compare the efficacy of super-high-dose steroid therapy with that of conventional steroid therapy in patients with profound SSNHL (pSSNHL).

Material and methods

Fifty-two patients diagnosed with pSSNHL between March 2010 and May 2017 were divided into the following groups based on their steroid regimen: a conventional steroid regimen (prednisolone at 1.0 mg/kg/day for 10 days) was applied in Group 1, and a super-high-dose steroid regimen (prednisolone at 1.5 mg/kg/day for 14 days) was applied in Group 2. The treatment outcomes were compared between the groups at 2 and 4 weeks after the initial treatment by use of Siegel's criteria.

Results

Of the 52 patients, 31 were classified into Group 1 and 21 into Group 2. When comparing the proportion of patients in complete or partial recovery by Siegel's criteria, the recovery rate was significantly higher in Group 2 than in Group 1 (19% vs 0%, p = .022 at 2 weeks; 35.7% vs 7.4%, p = 0.035 at 4 weeks).

Conclusions and significance

Patients with pSSNHL treated using the super-high-dose steroid regimen demonstrated better recovery rates to serviceable hearing than did those treated using the conventional steroid regimen without significant complications.