Effect of steroid, carbogen inhalation, and lipoprostaglandin E1 combination therapy for sudden sensorineural hearing loss

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of combined therapy with steroid, carbogen inhalation, and lipoprostaglandin E1 (lipo-PGE1) treatment and compare the results with other treatment modalities in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL).Subjects and methodsThe study group consisted of 670 patients diagnosed with unilateral ISSNHL. Two hundred patients (DCP group) were treated with steroid, lipo-PGE1 and carbogen inhalation combination therapy, 194 patients (DC group) with steroid and carbogen inhalation, and 276 patients (D group) with steroid medication only. The therapeutic effects of the treatment groups were evaluated 2 months after treatment, using pure tone averages. Siegel's criteria for hearing improvement were used for the assessments.ResultsThe overall recovery rate after treatment was 57.5%. For each group, the recovery rate was as follows: 67.0% in the DCP group, 52.6% in the DC group, and 53.9% in the D group. The DCP group had a significantly better improvement rate than the other 2 groups. In addition, the DCP treatment was better than the other 2 groups for patients: less than 50 years of age, with an initial hearing loss less than 90 dB HL, had treatment started within 1 week from the onset of hearing loss, had tinnitus or an ascending type audiogram, and/or had no vertigo.ConclusionSteroid, lipo-PGE1, and carbogen inhalation therapy was more effective than the other treatment modalities studied for patients with ISSNHL.