The effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on central macular thickness and choroidal thickness in the healthy eyes of patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) on central macular thickness (CMT) and choroidal thickness (CT).

Materials and Methods

The study included 42 healthy eyes of 21 patients with ISSNHL (aged 24–61 years) who started HBOT within the first three days of the onset of hearing loss. Duration and severity of hearing loss were noted before starting HBOT. Central macular thickness (CMT), choroidal thickness (CT) 1500 µm nasal and temporal of the fovea, and subfoveal CT were measured by spectral domain optic coherence tomography before the first session of HBOT and after sessions 10 and 20. Measurements obtained before and after HBOT were compared.

Results

Eleven patients (52.4%) were men and 10 (47.6%) were women. The mean age was 44.67 ± 10.1 years. The mean duration of sudden hearing loss before HBOT was 2.05 ± 1 day. Hearing loss was mild in five patients, moderate in five patients, moderate to severe in 2 patients, severe in 4 patients and profound in 5 patients. Comparison of measurements obtained before HBOT and after 10 and 20 sessions of HBOT revealed no significant differences in CMT (219.17 ± 22.91, 220.33 ± 19.66, and 220.21 ± 19.3 µm), subfoveal CT (347.71 ± 66.82, 348.38 ± 74.55, and 345.45 ± 75.39 µm), nasal CT (328.64 ± 82.31, 316.02 ± 79.32, and 313.52 ± 89.92 µm), or temporal CT (321.76 ± 71.29, 317.05 ± 73.94, and 314.05 ± 74.61 µm, respectively) (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

HBOT for the treatment of ISSNHL had no significant effect on CMT or CT in healthy eyes.

Keywords:

• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss
• central macular thickness
• choroidal thickness
• spectral domain optical coherence tomography

Author contributions

Study conception and design: Dönmez Gün R, Yumbul Kardaş A.S, Gümüş T, Başarır B.D. Acquisition of data: Dönmez Gün R, Kaya Adaş B, Gümüş T, Yumbul Kardaş A.S. Analaysis and interpretation of data: Dönmez Gün R, Yumbul Kardaş A.S, Gümüş T, Kaya Adaş B, Başarır B.D. Drafting of manuscript: Dönmez Gün R, Critical revision: Dönmez Gün R, Yumbul Kardaş A.S, Gümüş T, Başarır B.D.

Disclosure statement

None of the authors has a conflict of interest in relation to this submission.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from Dönmez Gün R.

Additional information

Funding

No financial support was received for this submission.