High-Dose Glucocorticoids No Better Than Low-Dose for Sudden Hearing Loss
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 10, 2024 -- For patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL), systemic high-dose glucocorticoid therapy is no better than a lower-dose regimen, according to a study published online Dec. 26 in NEJM Evidence.
Stefan K. Plontke, M.D., from the University Medicine Halle in Germany, and colleagues randomly assigned 325 patients with sudden hearing loss of ≥50 dB within seven days of onset to five days of high-dose intravenous prednisolone at 250 mg/day (HD-Pred), high-dose oral dexamethasone (40 mg/d [HD-Dex]), or oral prednisolone (60 mg/day [Pred-Control]) followed by five days of tapering doses.
The researchers found the mean change in the difference in hearing threshold for the three most affected contiguous frequencies from baseline to 30 days was 34.2, 41.4, and 41.0 dB in the HD-Pred, HD-Dex, and Pred-Control groups, respectively. More adverse events related to trial medication were seen in the HD-Pred and HD-Dex than the Pred-Control groups (73 and 76, respectively, versus 46).
"Therapy with systemic high-dose glucocorticoids did not show benefits for patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss compared with standard lower doses of glucocorticoids but increased the risk of side effects," the authors write. "Further trials are needed to compare glucocorticoid therapy with placebo or -- if this is not feasible -- with further dose de-escalation."
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted January 2024
Read this next
Eligible Adults Rarely Referred for Cochlear Implant Assessment
FRIDAY, April 5, 2024 -- Most adults meeting pure tone audiometric thresholds for cochlear implantation are not referred for assessment, according to a study published online...
Study Identifies Factors Tied to Age-Related Hearing Loss
MONDAY, March 11, 2024 -- Factors associated with developing age-related hearing loss (ARHL) differ by sex, according to a study published online March 6 in PLOS ONE. Dong...
Children's Hearing Increasingly at Risk From Earbuds, Headphones
TUESDAY, Feb. 27, 2024 -- Two in three parents say that their child between the ages of 5 and 12 years regularly uses listening devices, putting them at risk for permanent damage...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.