Effects of early intratympanic steroid injection in patients with acoustic trauma caused by gunshot noise

Abstract

Conclusion: This study evaluated the efficacy of concurrent administration of ITSI and systemic steroids in delayed treatment of NIHL after gunshot noise exposure. The results showed additional hearing benefits with administration of ITSI. Further evaluation is warranted to confirm this efficacy.

Objective: This investigation evaluated the effects of early administration of an intratympanic steroid injection (ITSI) in combination with systemic steroids treatment in patients with acoustic trauma caused by gunshot noise.

Methods: Nineteen patients eligible under the criteria established concerning delayed treatment for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into two groups: those who received prednisolone (PD) only (n = 8), and those who received PD with ITSI (n = 11). ITSI treatment was initiated simultaneously alongside systemic PD administration. These patients received ITSI every other day for a total of four treatments. Pure-tone air conduction threshold audiometry, to record the pure-tone average (PTA) at 2, 4, and 8 kHz, was conducted upon each patient’s initial visit, and 1 month after starting treatment, to evaluate the degree of hearing gain (hearing gain (dB) = (initial PTA) – (final PTA)).

Results: The initial PTA in PD-only and PD with ITSI groups were 52.75 ± 15.50 dB and 50.27 ± 12.01 dB, respectively. There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics of the two groups, which include age and the number of days that treatment was delayed. In the multivariable linear regression analysis, both the initial PTA and the treatment method showed a significant association (R²=0.41). The unstandardized regression coefficient of the initial PTA was 0.47 (p = 0.02). Patients with additional ITSI showed significant improvement in the degree of hearing gain compared with the PD-only group (unstandardized regression coefficient =11.48, p = 0.03)

Keywords:

• Noise induced hearing loss
• gunshot noise
• intratympanic steroid injection
• hearing gain

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

This work was supported by the Korean Military Medical Research Project funded by the ROK Military of National Defence (ROK-MND-2016-KMMRP-028).