We studied 50 patients with acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss (ALHL) who were examined at Fukuoka University Hospital between January 2003 and March 2007. We used logistical regression analysis to determine the factors most strongly related to the outcome in patients with ALHL. The outcome of ALHL was
cured (full recovery) in 36 patients,
recovered (partial recovery) in 5 patients, and
no change in 9 patients. The analysis was performed in the poor prognosis group (no change and partial recovery groups, 14 ears) and the full recovery group (36 ears). The following factors were examined as explanatory variables: age, sex, vestibular symptoms, number of days until presentation, therapy (steroids and diuretics), initial hearing levels at 125, 250, 500 and 1000Hz, and 1000-Hz distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE).
Factors determined to be related to the outcome were the age, number of days until presentation, initial hearing levels at 125, 250, 500 and 1000Hz, and 1000-HzDPOAE. A long interval before the presentation and advanced age were associated with lower rates of cure (that is, of full recovery). Furthermore, profound initial hearing loss (125, 250, 500 and 1000Hz) was associated with lower rates of cure. A positive 1000-HzDPOAE level implied a better outcome. Previously, we had reported (61 ALHL patients) that the hearing outcome of ALHL was significantly better in female patients; however, in present study, the sex of the patient gender was not found to be a significant prognostic factor. This [?] is considered to be due to some type of social anxiety or stress in females.
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