Cases of Acute Low-Tone Sensorineural Hearing Loss

-Trial of Glycerol Infusion Therapy-

Abstract

The prognosis of acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss (ALHL) is generally favorable, but partial cases show poor improvements or recurrences. In the present study, we investigated the clinical efficacy of continuous intravenous infusion of glycerol as a treatment of ALHL since endolymphatic hydrops is known to be one of the pathogenesis of ALHL.
Two hundred to three hundred milliliters of glycerol were administered to three patients with ALHL to investigate the clinical efficacy of the product. Although these patients had been treated with other drugs such as steroids and isosorbide, hearing loss was not completely alleviated. However, after treatment with glycerol the auditory functions of these patients were improved, particularly the low-tone ranges. No adverse effects such as nausea or headache, which are usually caused by the oral administrations of glycerol, were manifested in these patients.
Based on the findings in this study, we suggest that endolymphatic hydrops is involved in the manifestation of ALHL, and that glycerol is one of the appropriate agents for patients who are resistant to other pharmacological interventions.