Correlation between auditory brainstem response and hearing prognosis in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the latency and amplitude of auditory brainstem response (ABR) and hearing prognosis in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL).

METHODS: Patients with ISSNHL were classified into four different recovery groups. All patients' clinical and demographic features were analyzed. Two-channel ABRs were collected in response to click stimuli at 90dB nHL. ABR amplitudes for wave I and ABR latency for waves I, III, and V were analyzed.

RESULTS: One hundred and two patients (54 men and 48 women) were included in the study. Hearing recovery was observed in 72 cases (70.6%). Waves I, III, and V latencies were significantly prolonged in the affected ears compared with the unaffected ears. A smaller wave I amplitude was found in the affected ear compared with the unaffected ear in the three recovery groups. There was a significant association between wave I latency and hearing outcome (p=0.009) with a prolonged trend from complete to slight hearing recovery group.

CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant correlation between wave I latency and hearing outcome in patients with ISSNHL. The finding may provide diagnostic information and serve as a potential prognostic indicator in patients with ISSNHL.