Prediction of hearing outcomes by auditory steady-state response in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Abstract

Background

There has been no report on the predictive value of auditory steady-state response (ASSR) in the hearing prognosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).

Aims/objectives

To investigate whether ASSR can be a prognostic indicator of hearing outcome in patients with SSNHL after systemic steroid treatment.

Material and methods

Fifty-three patients with unilateral mild to severe SSNHL (≤90 dB HL at 0.5k, 1k, 2k, and 4 kHz, 4FA) were included. All patients received systemic high dose steroid therapy within one month after onset. The difference between the threshold levels measured by ASSR and PTA on the same day [ASSR – PTA] was calculated. The hearing recovery (HR) was defined as a < 30 dB HL of final degree of hearing loss and a > 15 dB HL of hearing gain.

Results

The HR (+) group showed significantly worse ASSR predicted threshold than pure-tone threshold in univariate (t(51) = 2.412, p = .020) and multivariate analysis (OR 0.910, p = .012). The [ASSR – PTA] threshold showed significantly moderate correlation with hearing gain (r = −0.303, p = .028).

Conclusions

Worse ASSR predicted threshold than pure-tone threshold predicted poor hearing outcome after systemic steroid treatment in mild to severe unilateral SSNHL.

Chinese abstract

背景：目前尚无关于听觉稳态反应（ASSR）对突发性感音神经性听力损失（SSNHL）患者的听力预测价值的报道。

目的：研究SSR是否可以作为经全身性激素治疗后的SSNHL患者的听力预后指标。材料和方法：包括了53例单侧轻度至重度SSNHL（在0.5、1、2和4 kHz时, 90 dB HL, 4FA）的患者。所有患者在发病后一个月内均接受全身高剂量类固醇治疗。计算了当天由ASSR和PTA测量的阈值水平之间的差异[ASSR – PTA]。听力恢复（HR）定义为最终听力损失度<30 dB HL和听力增益> 15 dB HL。

结果：在单变量（t（51）¼2.412, p¼.020）和多变量分析（OR 0.910, p¼.012）中, HR（þ）组的ASSR预测阈值明显比纯音阈值差。 [ASSR – PTA]阈值显示出与听力增益的显著中度相关性（r¼0.303, p¼.028）。

结论：对于轻度至重度单侧SSNHL患者, 在接受系统激素治疗后, ASSR预测阈值较纯音阈值预测的听力结果差。

Keywords:

• Sudden sensorineural hearing loss
• auditory steady-state response
• hearing outcome
• prognosis

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

The present research was supported by the research fund of Dankook University in 2020.