Benefits of Delayed Steroid Combination Treatment more than Two Weeks after Onset in Sudden Hearing Loss

Abstract

Objectives:We evaluated hearing recovery rates in sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) according to a delay from onset to treatment. Materials and Methods: 281 subjects with SSNHL, who received steroid combination treatment as an initial treatment, were included in this study. We divided the patients into groups of the delay from onset to treatment: ≤48 hours, ≤7 days, ≤14 days, ≤21 days, ≤30 days, and 31-60 days groups. Results: Complete recovery (CR) rates were 21.2% in ≤48 hours group, 25.3% in ≤7 days group, and 7.9% in ≤14 days group. The CR was not found in groups with treatment delayed group after 14 days. The CR rate in ≤14 days group had 0.019fold (95% CI: 0.051-0.769) decreased odds than the ≤48 hours group. Meaningful hearing recovery (MR) rates were 36.9%-47.1% in groups that received treatment within 14 days, and those of 17.7%-21.1% were observed in groups with a delay between 14 and 30 days. Of patients with treatment delays more than 31 days, hearing recovery of any type was not found. The MR rate in ≤30 days group had 0.234-folds decreased odds than ≤48 hours group (95% CI 0.061-0.906). Conclusions: Hearing recovery rates according to the delay of initial steroid treatment in SSNHL patients were identified. Clinicians can provide patients with information for hearing outcomes of delayed initiation of steroid treatment. Shared information facilitates better making decision with regard to their treatment plan.