SUDDEN DEAFNESS - A RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF DEXTRAN THERAPY

A retrospective evaluation was performed in 112 patients treated durin g a 10-year period as inpatients with the diagnosis idiopathic sudden hearing loss. Excluding all patients in whom later other diagnoses wer e established, like Meniere's disease, collagenoses, mumps etc., 101 p atients remained. 80 of them had been treated consistently according t o a protocol as having idiopathic sudden hearing loss. These patients had all 5-day treatment with low molecular weight dextran and nicotini c acid and vitamin B during 1 month. 68% did completely recover or wer e markedly improved (>30 dB), another 19% were fairly improved (10-30 dB). Statistical analysis showed that all retrocochlear signs or nysta gmus made the prognosis less favorable. To wake up with the hearing lo ss was more favorable than a daytime debut. A midfrequency loss had al ways a good prognosis. Because no untreated controls were included in the study, it was not possible to evaluate the specific effect of the treatment. The results obtained from this study have changed the treat ment policy in our clinic.