Isosorbide (Isobide
®, 70w/v% solution of isosorbide, Nikken Chemicals Co. Inc., Tokyo, Japan), an osmotic diuretic, was effective in 54 of 112 cases with acute sensorineural hearing loss in whom the effect of steroid therapy, was limited.
We analyzed the 54 cases including 45 female and 9 male patients. The audiogram showed acute low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss (group: ALHL, n=26) or high-frequency hearing losses with ALHL (group: Others, n=28). The mean age of the patients was 47.7 years (ALHL: 39.4 years, Others: 55.5 years). Their effectiveness was mostly obtained in 1 day and mean was 3 days. Though isosorbide was reduced gradually, 22 cases showed fluctuation of hearing, 12 cases (ALHL: 6 cases, Others: 6 cases) improved after increasing to the first dosage (90-120ml/day), except one ease who introduced to another hospital the other 9 cases (ALHL: 2 cases, Others: 7 cases) needed the combination therapy of steroid with isosorbide. The average therapeutic course of stable cases was 8.2 weeks (ALHL: 8.5w, Others: 7.8w), whereas that of fluctuating cases was 31 weeks (ALHL: 24.3w, Others: 34.9w) with more slowly reduction of isosorbide.
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