Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of oral prednisolone prescribed to admitted patients in two ways: full-dose prednisolone (continuous maximum tolerable doses of prednisolone) and tapering doses of prednisolone (steadily reduced doses of prednisolone). 

MATERIALS and METHODS: Fifty-four sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) patients, admitted to our hospital between January 2012 and April 2013, were enrolled as the study subjects. Based on the specialists’ clinical experience, 27 patients received full-dose prednisolone (Group I). The other 27 received a tapering dose of prednisolone (Group II). We analyzed the efficacy of the two management groups by assessing the patients’ hearing recovery after 6 months of treatment.

RESULTS: After 6 months, the average absolute hearing gain and recovery rate in Group I were 23.94 dB and 74% respectively, which was better than the 19.83 dB and 63% in Group II. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the efficacy of treatment between the groups. One patient in Group I developed the side effect of acute closed-angle glaucoma. The other 53 patients were free from severe side effects.

CONCLUSION: Prescription of a tapering dose of prednisolone is highly recommended as routine management for patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Compared with full-dose treatment, it has equivalent efficacy while reducing the risk of severe side effects.