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SCORE risk scale as a prognostic factor after sudden sensorineural hearing loss

  • Otology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Letter to the Editor to this article was published on 23 December 2019

Abstract

Introduction

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) is an otologic urgency whose treatment is still controversial. Its etiology remains largely unknown in most cases and predicting its prognosis is still a challenge. Cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) have been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of this entity.

Objectives

Application of the SCORE (Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation) risk scale in patients with SSHL and evaluation of its potential prognostic value in recovery in patients with CVRF.

Materials and methods

Prospective analysis of patients with SSHL admitted for protocol treatment including intravenous corticosteroid therapy associated to weekly intratympanic injection in the event of therapeutic failure or severe hearing loss at admission. Demographic, audiometric, clinical and imaging data were assessed. The SCORE risk scale was applied and the audiometric recovery was compared among different risk groups.

Results

Our overall complete and partial recovery rates were 35.9% and 26%, respectively. More than a half of our patients had at least one CVRF. Of these, overweight/obesity, hyperlipidemia and hypertension were the most common. In our sample, patients with CVRF and higher SCORE risk presented higher PTA at admission and also worse hearing outcome, although these results were not statically significant.

Conclusion

This preliminary study could not confirm the validity for SCORE scale for cardiovascular risk assessment in predicting audiometric recovery in patients with SSHL with multiple comorbidities. Further research with larger samples are needed to elucidate the etiology of SSHL and the exact role of cardiovascular risk factors in the pathophysiology of SSHL.

Level of evidence

4

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Abbreviations

SSHL:

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss

CVRF:

Cardiovascular risk factors

SCORE:

Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation

PTA:

Pure-tone average

BMI:

Body mass index

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

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Funding

The authors did not receive any specific financial or material support from agencies from the public sector, commercial sector or non-profit entities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital De Braga, Sete Fontes, São Victor, 4710-243, Braga, Portugal

    Ana Sousa Menezes, Daniela Ribeiro, António Lima, Daniel Miranda & Luís Dias

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Instituto Português de Oncologia Francisco Gentil Do Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Joana Guimarães

Authors
  1. Ana Sousa Menezes
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  2. Daniela Ribeiro
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  3. António Lima
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  4. Daniel Miranda
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  5. Joana Guimarães
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  6. Luís Dias
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Contributions

ASM takes full responsibility for the integrity of the data presented. AL contributed to the collection of data. All the other authors contributed to the acquisition, analysis and interpretation of the data for the work. DR and DM had full access to all data and made substantial contributions to the analysis and interpretation of data. JG and LD were also responsible for the study supervision. ASM was responsible for the drafting of the manuscript and all the authors for revising it for important intellectual content.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ana Sousa Menezes.

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Menezes, A.S., Ribeiro, D., Lima, A. et al. SCORE risk scale as a prognostic factor after sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 276, 2739–2745 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-019-05518-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-019-05518-1

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