Otoacoustic Emissions in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Changes of Measures with Treatment

Introduction: To identify changes in OAEs parameters in treatment course of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (iSSNHL). Materials and Methods: In aprospective studyfromAugust ۲۰۰۵ to January ۲۰۰۹, ۲۶ patients with iSSNHL underwent conventional audiometry/tympanometry and two types of OAEs (TEOAEs and DPOAEs) before and after the completion of standard drug therapy.The changes in pre- and post- treatment parameters were compared with each other and with normal-contralateral ears. Results: In TEOAEs, the mean overall correlation (reproducibility) and the mean overall strength in involved ears were ۱۰.۹۶±۲۳.۳۶ and ۰.۹۹±۳.۴۵ dB, respectively, before the treatment, which reached ۲۲.۸۸±۳۶.۵۵ and ۱.۸۵±۵.۳, respectively, after the treatment (P>۰.۰۵). Significant difference between “correlation score” (average of correlations at ۳-۴ involved frequencies) before and after treatment was found: ۶.۵۲ ±۱۸.۱۹ vs. ۲۱.۶۷±۳۷.۸ (P<۰.۰۳۴). The difference between pre- and post-treatmentoverall correlation and correlation score in the “response group” were significant (P<۰.۰۳۱).  In DPOAEs of the involved ears, the mean DP۱ level and the DP۱ signal-to-noiseratio changes were not significant with the treatment (P>۰.۰۵). Conclusion: Evoked OAEs, especially TEOAEs, are objective, rapid, and sensitive tools in the treatment course of iSSNHL.

Keywords:

Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss , Otoacoustic emissions , response , Treatment