Objective: To evaluate the treatment and prognosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) with total and severe all frequency hearing loss.
Methods: Sixty-two patients diagnosed as SSHL (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 kHz pure tone average > or = 56 dB) were studied from January 2003 to October 2006, in which 18 of them were treated with Xueshuantong (Panax notoginseng saponins) while 19 of them treated with steroid and Xueshuantong, and 25 of them treated with steroid, DF-521 and Xueshuantong.
Results: The hearing improvement rate of the patients treated with Xueshuantong was 22.2% (4/18) while the patients treated with steroid and Xueshuantong was 57.9% (11/19) and the patients treated with steroid, DF-521 and Xueshuantong was 68.0% (17/25). The good improvement rate of the patients treated with Xueshuantong was 5.6% (1/18) while the patients treated with steroid and Xueshuantong was 36.8% (7/19) and the patients treated with steroid, DF-521 and Xueshuantong was 60.0% (15/25). Over hearing improvement was significantly better in patients treated with steroid, defibrinogenation and Xueshuantong than in those treated with Xueshuantong only (P < 0.05). The patients of total hearing loss had a significantly higher vertigo rate and worse therapy effect.
Conclusions: The combined therapy include high-dose corticosteroids and defibrinogenation therapy is effective for the patients with total deafness and severe all frequency hearing loss. The prognosis of patients with total hearing loss was poor.