Efficacy of combination therapy in adolescent and adult patients with total-deafness sudden sensorineural hearing loss

AbstractBackground: Combination therapy is the first-line option for total-deafness sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). Age may act as a crucial prognostic factor.Objective: The aim of this study was to compare efficacy of combination therapy between adolescent and adult patients with total-deafness SSNHL.Materials and methods: Twenty-five adolescent patients (adolescent group) and 106 adult patients (adult group) with total-deafness SSNHL were recruited. All the recruited patients underwent initial treatment with batroxobin, methylprednisolone, and gastrodin. After 10-day treatment, hearing outcomes were determined by pure-tone average measured by audiometry. Moreover, the total effective rates in the hearing recovery and improvement of tinnitus were calculated.Results: There existed no significant difference between two groups in the total effective rate of the hearing recovery (p = .110). However, a significant difference was found in the total effective rate of improvement of tinnitus between t...