Optimal Usage of Intratympanic Drug Therapy for Sudden Hearing Loss Unclear

Dr. Gurgel said that, given the divergent nature of the data on IT drug therapy for ISSNHL, the guidelines struck the right balance in their recommendations. As for which particular regimen to use, he said, “I try to use evidence to guide what we do clinically, so for me the Rauch study offers a nice protocol where patients were given 1 mL of 40-mg/mL methylprednisolone, in four injections over two weeks. There are certainly other regimens that are also effective.”

However, given the lack of comparative data and consensus on specific regimens, timing and dosage, he said, “at the end of the day, patient preference and your own clinical experience will often have to guide you towards the best treatment option for a given patient.”