Delayed Recovery in Pediatric Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss Predicted via Magnetic Resonance Imaging

A review of bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss in pediatric patients

OBJECTIVE

Bilateral, sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) in the pediatric population is a rare phenomenon potentially detrimental to language acquisition and social development. This study comprehensively reviews and analyzes existing literature to determine any correlation or commonality in etiologies, presentations, and management of this condition.

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched for articles related to pediatric SSNHL from 1970 to 2021. Case series, case reports, and cohort studies were included. Data on patient demographics, etiology, diagnostic testing, management, and hearing recovery were collected.

RESULTS

Excluding duplicates, 553 unique titles were identified by established search criteria, of which 342 titles were relevant to pediatric sudden hearing loss. Forty-six papers reported cases of bilateral SSNHL, totaling 145 individual cases. Not included in the analysis were 45 cases documented as non-organic hearing loss. The average age of the total 145 included patients was 8.5 years and 51 were male. Reported etiologies included cytomegalovirus (n = 3), meningitis (n = 13), mumps (n = 5), ototoxin exposure (n = 13), and enlarged vestibular aqueduct (n = 9). Tinnitus (n = 30) was the most reported concurrent symptom, followed by vertigo (n = 21). Systemic steroid therapy was the most common treatment and, when follow up was reported, most patients (51.2%) had complete or partial recovery of hearing.

CONCLUSIONS

This is a comprehensive review of pediatric bilateral SSNHL. Though often idiopathic, etiologies also include infectious, structural, and autoimmune. Treatment largely consists of systemic steroid therapy, with variables rates of recovery. Further studies on intratympanic administration of steroids may guide future treatment.

Paediatric Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Pooled Analysis and Systematic Review

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is defined as hearing loss of ≥30 dB in one or both ears, developing within 3 days, affecting ≥3 contiguous frequencies. It is rare in children, but if untreated can cause significant morbidity. During the critical developmental period, it may cause lifelong social, behavioral, and mental sequelae. Currently, little guidance exists on prognosis and management within a pediatric population. A systematic literature review of pediatric SSNHL on PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane CENTRAL database was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations. A total of 620 papers met the Medical Subject Headings criteria, of which 14 met analysis criteria-13 were level 4 and 1 was level 2b evidence. A population of 732 individuals was analyzed. Most reported cases of pediatric SSNHL were idiopathic. Other etiologies included viral infection, trauma, ototoxic drugs, and structural abnormalities. Recovery was defined as any improvement in hearing after the initial loss, from "slight" to "complete." Recovery ranged from 20% to 100%, with a pooled rate of 56%. Systemic steroids were the mainstay of treatment, although salvage intratympanic steroid therapy had a role after the failure of systemic steroids. Children with bilateral SSNHL had poorer outcomes than those with unilateral loss, with 29% showing improvement. Two studies reported outcomes with no treatment, for which recovery rate was 7%. This analysis of SSNHL shows that 61% of children with unilateral and 29% of children with bilateral SSNHL demonstrate some recovery, a worse prognosis than adults. Multiple treatment regimens exist, although comparison is challenging owing to inconsistently reported improvement parameters.

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Children-Management and Outcomes: A Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To identify which patient characteristics and treatments are associated with hearing improvement in patients with pediatric sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).

METHODS

PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were systematically searched for articles published before February 5, 2019, and references of relevant articles were screened. Original English-language case series and cohort studies were included if they addressed SSNHL in patients <20 years of age. Study characteristics, patient demographics, symptoms, treatments, and hearing outcomes were extracted. The primary outcome was hearing improvement.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies were included, totaling 605 patients (670 ears). Hearing did not improve in 46.7% of ears (95% confidence interval [CI]: 34.4% to 59.0%). Imaging (computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging) results were described in three studies, and 24.2% of ears (95% CI: 7.7% to 40.6%) had abnormal findings. The most common serological finding was cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin (Ig)G or IgM (34.3% of ears tested, 95% CI: -2.9% to 71.6%). Unilateral hearing loss (odds ratio [OR]:3.85, P < .001), tinnitus (OR: 2.20, P = .003), age >12 years (OR: 2.11, P = .002), and ascending audiogram (OR: 3.66, P = .005), but not systemic or intratympanic steroids, were associated with increased odds of partial or complete improvement. In contrast, profound hearing loss (OR: 0.29, P < .001) and treatment delay of >6 days (OR: 0.27, P < .001) were associated with decreased odds of improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite treatment, half of patients had no improvement in hearing. Prognostic factors associated with hearing improvement were generally consistent with those established in the adult population. Further research with consistent definitions for hearing improvement is needed to improve the understanding and treatment of pediatric SSNHL.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Laryngoscope, 131:425-434, 2021.

Audiological outcomes in sudden sensorineural hearing loss with presumed inner ear hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE

To explore the hearing outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss resulting from inner ear hemorrhage.

METHODS

42 patients (22 male and 20 female) were recruited from January 2016 to December 2017. Intravenous methylprednisolone and/or intratympanic corticosteroid were used as salvage therapy. The main measures included systemic risk factors and audiometric outcomes as proposed by American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Hearing Loss Scale. All individuals were assessed at baseline, discharge (2 weeks post-treatment) and at 1, 3 and 6 months.

RESULTS

The mean ages of patients were 39.3 ± 14.8 yrs. Cardiovascular disorders were seen in 19.0-33.3% of cases. Restoration of hearing and speech discrimination abilities were assessed at the first month post-treatment versus initial levels (95.5 ± 15.5 vs. 109.2 ± 9.6 dB, p = 0.000; and 17.6 ± 24.4 vs. 1.3 ± 4.0%, p = 0.003, respectively). Word recognition scores continued to recover at month 6 (38.7 ± 35.4%, p = 0.000), whereas puretone ceased to change (90.8 ± 16.2 dB, p = 0.139). The final percentages of complete, partial and no recovery were 0%, 57.1% and 42.9% respectively. The prognosis was independent of accompanying systemic risk factors as analyzed in this study. Intratympanic intervention was associated with improved word recognition scores, although intravenous corticosteroid was not.

CONCLUSIONS

Profound sudden sensorineural hearing loss caused by inner ear hemorrhage often has an unsatisfactory prognosis. However, this cohort did experience partial audiological recovery with delayed onset. Immediate and effective intratympanic corticosteroid may have therapeutic potential for this intractable disease.