Combination of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Oral Steroids for the Treatment of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Early or Late?
Matteo Cavaliere,
Pietro De Luca,
Alfonso Scarpa,
Adriano Maciej Strzalkowski,
Massimo Ralli,
Matteo Calvanese,
Luisa Savignano,
Pasquale Viola,
Claudia Cassandro,
Giuseppe Chiarella,
Arianna Di Stadio
Affiliations
Matteo Cavaliere
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, 84131 Salerno, Italy
Pietro De Luca
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, 84131 Salerno, Italy
Alfonso Scarpa
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, 84131 Salerno, Italy
Adriano Maciej Strzalkowski
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, 84131 Salerno, Italy
Massimo Ralli
Department of Sense Organs, University La Sapienza, 00185 Rome, Italy
Matteo Calvanese
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, 84131 Salerno, Italy
Luisa Savignano
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, 84131 Salerno, Italy
Pasquale Viola
Unit of Audiology, Regional Centre for Cochlear Implants and ENT Diseases, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Claudia Cassandro
Surgical Sciences Department, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
Giuseppe Chiarella
Unit of Audiology, Regional Centre for Cochlear Implants and ENT Diseases, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Arianna Di Stadio
Department G.F. Ingrassia, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy
Background and Objectives: Several treatments are available for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), but no studies have compared the different treatments based on the delay from the onset of the disease. Our study aims to compare the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), oral steroids (OS) and combination of both therapies (HBOT + OS) for treating SSNHL. Materials and Methods: This randomized study analyzed 171 patients with SSNHL. Patients were evaluated by pure tone audiometry test (PTA) at baseline (T0) and 20 days after treatment (T1). Three groups were available HBOT-A-, OS-B- and HBOT + OS-C-. After baseline PTA, patients were randomly assigned to each group. Statistical analysis was performed by one-way ANOVA and Chi-square. Results: Patients in the HBOT + OS and HBOT groups improved their auditory function (p p p p Conclusions: Combination of HBOT and OS is a valid treatment for SSNHL both in case of early and late treatment. Combination of HBOT and OS was the choice with the best results in case of treatment started >14 days from symptom onset.
