High-frequency stimulation ABRs in patient with sudden hearing loss

Ai Maomao; Yu Feng; Zhou Feng

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1672-2922.2016.01.018

Abstract：Objective To report characteristics of high-frequency stimulation Auditory Brainstem Responses in pa-tients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL). Methods Forty three patients (45 ears) aged 16-45 years with ISSHL who were treated in Guangzhou Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Hospital between January 2014 and December 2014 were included in the study group, while 20 normal volunteers (40 ears) were recruited as the control group. Subjects had no history of vertigo or cerebrocardiovascular diseases, and received pure tone audiometry (PTA) tests. Audito-ry brainstem responses (ABRs) were tested using clicks at a rate of 51.1/s or 11.1/s. A difference in I-V interpeak latency be-tween high and low frequency stimulation ABRs (△IPL) of 0.28 ms or greater was categorized as“abnormal”. Reponses to treatment in patients with abnormal △IPL and in those with normal △IPL were compared. Results There was no significant difference in PTA between patients with abnormal △IPL and those with normal △IPL. High frequency stimulation ABRs were recorded in 34 patients (75.56%) and in all normal subjects (100%). Among ISSHL patients with abnormal △IPL, 11 (40.74%) showed improvement, compared to 15 (83.33%) of those with normal △IPL (P=0.005). Conclusion The rate of ab-normal △IPL from low and high frequency stimulation ABRs is increased in ISSHL patients. ISSHL patients with abnormal △IPL have poorer hearing prognoses compared with those with normal △IPL.