A follow-up study of patients suffering from sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (S-SNHL) is a common problem with a high recovery rate. However, little is known of the long-term prognosis of affected patients. The purpose of this follow-up study was to evaluate the long-term hearing results of S-SNHL patients. The sample consisted of 168 patients with S-SNHL treated with carbogen inhalation and/or anticoagulant therapy during the period 1982-89. A questionnaire was sent to these patients, and audiological investigations were carried out in a selection of these patients in 1997. Comparison of the different treatment methods showed that the difference observed in improvement of hearing was statistically significant between the carbogen inhalation and anticoagulant treatment groups. The hearing improvement achieved was stable for, on average, 8 years of follow-up. During the follow-up period, Ménière's disease was diagnosed in only 1 of the 116 patients who answered the questionnaire and no cases of acoustic neurinoma were diagnosed, indicating that establishment of a careful patient history and clinical and audiological investigations are sufficient for the diagnosis of S-SNHL. In general, the hearing improvement achieved in S-SNHL patients is stable during long-term follow-up.