Combination of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and steroid therapy effective in people with sudden hearing loss: Study

Written By : Medha Baranwal |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2023-12-01T05:00:04+05:30 | Updated On 1 Dec 2023 10:35 AM IST

Japan: A recent study published in Otology & Neurotology has found an enhanced recovery rate with the combination of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and steroids in patients with sudden hearing loss, especially in severe cases.

Inflammatory markers, including the platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were found to be valuable predictors of treatment outcomes, with lower PLR (cutoff at 146.67) and lower NLR (cutoff at 2.43) values linked to improved recovery rates.

Shinya Ohira, Department of Otolaryngology, Shonan Kamakura General Hospital, Okamoto, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa, Japan, and colleagues aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with steroid therapy for treating sudden hearing loss. They also examined the index associated with excellent therapeutic effect.

For this purpose, the researchers included 109 patients with sudden hearing loss. Patients were categorized into the HBOT combination group (59 sides) treated with HBOT and steroid therapy and the HBOT noncombination group (50 sides) involving only steroid therapy.

The recovery rate of each group was compared by the severity of hearing loss. Blood samples were evaluated and inflammatory markers, such as PLR and NLR, were calculated and compared by severity. The usefulness of inflammatory markers for predicting recovery rate was evaluated, and calculated cutoff values were also evaluated.

The study led to the following findings:

· The HBOT combination group exhibited a higher overall recovery rate than the HBOT noncombination group, particularly in severe cases.

· There was no significant difference in the severity of hearing loss based on various inflammatory markers.

· NLR and PLR are useful for predicting the effect in patients treated with concomitant HBOT.

· By setting 2.43 and 146.67 as cutoff values for NLR and PLR, respectively, lower values resulted in better recovery rates.

"The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy is effective for severe cases and early blood flow disorders with low PLR and NLR and less inflammation," the researchers wrote.

"When determining treatment, not only should the hearing loss severity be considered, but the PLR and NLR should also be evaluated and examined based on the cutoff values," they concluded.

Reference:

Ohira, Shinya∗,†; Komori, Manabu‡; Tsuna, Yukari∗,†; Nakamura, Mitsuto∗,†; Yamaguchi, Yusei∗,†; Matsuura, Kentaro∗,†; Osafune, Hiroshi∗,†; Wada, Kota†. Indications of Effective Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Combined With Steroid Therapy for Sudden Hearing Loss. Otology & Neurotology 44(10):p 983-987, December 2023. | DOI: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000004035

Otology & NeurotologyHearing lossHyperbaric oxygen therapyNeutrophil–lymphocyte ratioPlatelet–lymphocyte ratio

Source : Otology & Neurotology

Medha Baranwal

MSc. Biotechnology

Medha Baranwal joined Medical Dialogues as an Editor in 2018 for Speciality Medical Dialogues. She covers several medical specialties including Cardiac Sciences, Dentistry, Diabetes and Endo, Diagnostics, ENT, Gastroenterology, Neurosciences, and Radiology. She has completed her Bachelors in Biomedical Sciences from DU and then pursued Masters in Biotechnology from Amity University. She has a working experience of 5 years in the field of medical research writing, scientific writing, content writing, and content management. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751