Steroid treatment of hearing loss in enlarged vestibular aqueduct anomaly

SummaryObjective1. Determine whether corticosteroid therapy improves hearing thresholds of patients with enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA) anomaly. 2. Determine sample size for a future prospective study.MethodsRetrospective chart review hearing loss in EVA patients comparing patients treated with corticosteroids and untreated patients.ResultsEighty percent (n = 5) of patients treated with steroids for hearing loss demonstrated audiometric improvement, compared to 14.3% of patients (n = 7) not treated. The pure tone average improved by 17.7 dB in the steroid treated group. A prospective, placebo-controlled trial would need between 19 and 45 patients in each group, treatment versus no-treatment, to achieve statistical significance.ConclusionPatients with EVA who develop hearing loss have a high rate of hearing improvement when treated with corticosteroid therapy. The hearing improvement appears to be better than spontaneous recovery.