Is corticosteroid therapy effective for sudden-onset sensorineural hearing loss at lower frequencies?

To assess the efficacy of corticosteroid therapy for sudden-onset sensorineural hearing loss at lower frequencies. Retrospective, nonrandomized, controlled study. The recovery rate, recovery/improvement rate, and period between the start of therapy and improvement of symptoms were studied in 2 groups: the control group, consisting of 36 patients treated with adenosine triphosphate disodium, kallidinogenase, and cyanocobalamin between March 1, 2000, and January 31, 2001; and the corticosteroid-treated group, consisting of 42 patients treated with corticosteroids in addition to the previously mentioned drugs between April 1, 1997, and February 29, 2000. No significant difference (P =.83) was noted in the recovery rate between the control group (81%) and the corticosteroid-treated group (79%), and the recovery/improvement rate was the same for the 2 groups (83%). In addition, there was no significant difference (P =.84) for the mean +/- SD period between the start of therapy and improvement of symptoms between the control group (3.9 +/- 2.7 days) and the corticosteroid-treated group (3.7 +/- 2.1 days). Corticosteroids were not effective for sudden-onset sensorineural hearing loss at lower frequencies.