Background and ObjectivesWe compared improvements in hearing thresholds in acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss (ALHL) patients after two different treatments: steroid alone and steroid and diuretic combined. We analyzed how the duration between the onset of symptoms and the initiation of treatment affected hearing loss improvement and investigated the relation between presence of vertigo in ALHL patients and ALHL progression to Ménière's disease (MD).Subjects and MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 47 ALHL patients aged 21 to 76 years. Patients received either orally administered steroid alone (n=12) or steroid and diuretic combined (n=35). We compared improvements in the two groups' hearing thresholds at three lower frequencies (125, 250, and 500 Hz) after participants had received one month of each respective treatment.ResultsOur two treatments did not show any statistical difference in hearing loss improvement after one month. Forty percent of ALHL patients with vertigo developed MD, which was a significantly higher rate than the 12.5% of ALHL patients without vertigo who developed MD. The shorter duration between the onset of symptoms and the initiation of treatment significantly increased improvement in the sum of lower frequency hearing threshold after one month.ConclusionsThe current study suggests that steroid and diuretic administered together and steroid alone similarly improve the hearing threshold in ALHL patients after one month. We concluded that patients should initiate ALHL treatment as soon as they experience symptoms. ALHL patients should also be notified of their higher risk of developing MD.

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Abstract>This study seeks to determine how personality patterns on marital adjustment are influenced by interacting with conflict resolution styles. Data for this study were collected from intermarriage couples comprising 293 pairs (586 patients) who lived

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Researchers are interested in understanding the influence of personality and communication in relationships; subsequently, initial studies that compared an adjustment to marriage and maladjustment to marriage found relatively strong personality

The purpose of the present study was to develop a causal model that explains how personal and family characteristics influence the well-being of adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs). The causal model was developed based on family systems theory, coping theory, social learning theory, and social support theory. Eight-four ACOAs were tested in order to examine the fit of the model to the data by path analysis with LISREL VII. Results of the study suggested that the revised theoretical model presented good model fit to the data with .97 for goodness of fit index, .91 for adjusted goodness of fit index, .13 for root-mean-square residuals, and 11.94 for modification indices. Results of the study also showed that 1) ACOAs who are better able to perceive the availability of social supports tend to have lower emotional status; 2) ACOAs who are better able to perceive the availability of social supports have a tendency to have better adjustment; and 3) ACOAs who have higher emotional status have a tendency to be better adjusted in life.