Open AccessImprovement in word recognition following treatment failure for sudden sensorineural hearing loss
Author(s) -
Jan Taha A.,
Kozin Elliott D.,
Kanumuri Vivek V.,
Sethi Rosh K.,
Jung David H.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
world journal of otorhinolaryngology ‐ head and neck surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2589-1081
pISSN - 2095-8811
DOI - 10.1016/j.wjorl.2016.06.002
Subject(s) - medicine , cohort , audiology , otorhinolaryngology , hearing loss , retrospective cohort study , sensorineural hearing loss , tone (literature) , sudden hearing loss , surgery , art , literature
Objectives Patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) may have word recognition scores (WRS) that correlate with pure tone average (PTA). We hypothesize that there is a subset of patients with SSNHL who have improved WRS despite stable PTA. Methods Retrospective case review at a tertiary otolaryngology practice. Results We identified 13 of 113 patients with SSNHL whose WRS increased despite overall stable pure tone averages. There was an observed average improvement in WRS by 23.8 points in this patient cohort at follow‐up, with mean initial PTA in the affected ear at 48.7 dB. Conclusions We identify a novel cohort of SSNHL patients that have failed treatment as measured by PTA, but who have increased WRS over time. These data have implications for patient counseling and lend insight into the pathophysiology of SSNHL.