Effectiveness of Ginkgo biloba diterpene lactone in the treatment of sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of systemic Ginkgo biloba diterpene lactone therapy for sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Methods: This retrospective review investigated 56 patients with unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Among them, 26 patients received conventional therapy (group C, intravenous methylprednisolone), and 30 received conventional therapy supplemented with Ginkgo biloba diterpene lactone (group G). Pure tone audiometry was measured before treatment and 1 month after treatment. The average pure tone audiometry gain, pure tone audiometry gain at each frequency, pure tone audiometry gain according to initial hearing loss, and rate of effectiveness were defined as functionally relevant recovery of hearing and compared between the two groups.

Results: The average pure tone audiometry gain was significantly greater in group G (20.6 ± 15.1 dB) than in group C (11.9 ± 13.3 dB) (p = 0.025), with similar trends at 250, 1 k, and 8 k Hz. In the subgroup of patients with profound hearing loss (initial pure tone audiometry >70 dB), hearing gain was significantly higher in group G (26.7 ± 14.4 dB) than in C (5.5 ± 9.0 dB) (p = 0.034). In the mild-moderate hearing loss subgroup (initial pure tone audiometry ≤70 dB), the pure tone audiometry gain did not differ significantly (group G: 18.4 ± 14.3 dB; group C: 13.0 ± 13.4 dB) (p = 0.209). The overall rate of effectiveness was 73.3% and 57.7% in groups G and C, respectively; however, the difference was statistically insignificant (p = 0.218).

Conclusions: Compared with conventional therapy alone, supplementary systemic administration of Ginkgo biloba diterpene lactone to treat sudden sensorineural hearing loss could improve hearing recovery, especially, in patients with profound hearing loss.

Keywords: Ginkgo biloba diterpene lactone; Pure tone audiometry; Sudden sensorineural hearing loss; Treatment outcome.