ENTtoday
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • Practice Focus
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Departments
    • Issue Archive
    • TRIO Best Practices
      • Allergy
      • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
      • Head and Neck
      • Laryngology
      • Otology/Neurotology
      • Pediatric
      • Rhinology
      • Sleep Medicine
    • Career Development
    • Case of the Month
    • Everyday Ethics
    • Health Policy
    • Legal Matters
    • Letter From the Editor
    • Medical Education
    • Online Exclusives
    • Practice Management
    • Resident Focus
    • Rx: Wellness
    • Special Reports
    • Tech Talk
    • Viewpoint
    • What’s Your O.R. Playlist?
  • Literature Reviews
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Events
    • Featured Events
    • TRIO Meetings
  • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Triological Society
    • Advertising Staff
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Place an Ad
    • Classifieds
    • Rate Card
  • Search

Sudden Hearing Loss: Clinical Guideline Update

by Mary Beth Nierengarten • September 6, 2019

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version
Table 1. Action Statements: Sudden Hearing Loss

(click for larger image) Table 1. Action Statements: Sudden Hearing Loss

Updated guidelines on sudden hearing loss recently published by the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) underscore the need to recognize and diagnose this condition early to optimize intervention (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2019;161:195-210).

You Might Also Like

  • IT Steroid Treatment, Oral Corticosteroid Therapy Similar for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
  • AAO-HNS14: Treatments Beyond Steroids for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss Examined
  • New Sudden Hearing Loss Guidelines Provoke Mixed Opinions
  • Pills vs. Injections: Which Steroids Are Best for Sudden Hearing Loss?

“The new focus … is really on recognizing this condition early so that it can be properly diagnosed and managed promptly while the interventions that we do have—limited as they are—are most likely to be effective,” said Seth R. Schwartz, MD, PhD, an otolaryngologist in the department of otolaryngology at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, who served as the methodologist for the update group.

Published on August 1, 2019, the updated guidelines provide 13 action statements to help clinicians accurately diagnose sudden hearing loss to ensure appropriate management (see Table 1, below). The action statements are based on new evidence published since the publication of the original guidelines on sudden hearing loss in 2012 (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2012;146:S1–S35). Based on the quality of the evidence, the action statements are given a “strong recommendation,” “recommendation,” or “optional” recommendation.

Among the action statements that Dr. Schwartz highlighted were the statements strongly recommending education of and shared decision making with patients. The new guidelines, he said, provide “more information about including patients in the decision-making process regarding whether or not to treat and how.”

For example, the guidelines strongly recommend shared decision making between clinician and patient that includes patient preferences. For interventions with a clear evidence base and benefit, shared decision making includes providing patients with clear information on the benefits and risks of treatment to improve their adherence to treatment and outcomes. If the current evidence is weak on a specific treatment or the benefits unclear, clinicians are encouraged to talk to patients about how to think about the potential risks and benefits of the treatment, such as the absolute benefits of the treatment, its adverse effects, how often and long treatment is needed, and its cost. “Given the limited nature of the treatment options, otolaryngologists should know that including the patients in the decision-making process, even if they choose not to be treated primarily, is both valid and important,” he added.

Dr. Schwartz also pointed out that no new interventions are supported in the updated guidelines based on the most current evidence. “The primary treatments are still steroids, either oral or transtympanic, and hyperbaric oxygen,” he said, adding that although primary steroid therapy remains a mainstay of initial management, it “remains surprisingly limited despite a number of new studies.”

He also highlighted that a few new studies suggest a possible benefit for antioxidant vitamins, but said there is not enough evidence to make a recommendation. “But [the evidence] was enough for them [antioxidant vitamins] not to be included in the group of interventions recommended against,” he said.

To facilitate implementation of these action statements, the guideline also provides an algorithm outlining the statements.

Filed Under: Online Exclusives, Otology/Neurotology, Practice Focus Tagged With: Clinical Guidelines, hearing loss, sudden hearing loss

You Might Also Like:

  • IT Steroid Treatment, Oral Corticosteroid Therapy Similar for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
  • AAO-HNS14: Treatments Beyond Steroids for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss Examined
  • New Sudden Hearing Loss Guidelines Provoke Mixed Opinions
  • Pills vs. Injections: Which Steroids Are Best for Sudden Hearing Loss?

The Triological SocietyENTtoday is a publication of The Triological Society.

The Laryngoscope
Ensure you have all the latest research at your fingertips; Subscribe to The Laryngoscope today!

Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
Open access journal in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery is currently accepting submissions.

Classifieds

View the classified ads »

TRIO Best Practices

View the TRIO Best Practices »

Top Articles for Residents

  • Do Training Programs Give Otolaryngology Residents the Necessary Tools to Do Productive Research?
  • Why More MDs, Medical Residents Are Choosing to Pursue Additional Academic Degrees
  • What Physicians Need to Know about Investing Before Hiring a Financial Advisor
  • Tips to Help You Regain Your Sense of Self
  • Should USMLE Step 1 Change from Numeric Score to Pass/Fail?
  • Popular this Week
  • Most Popular
  • Most Recent
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • Experts Delve into Treatment Options for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
    • Weaning Patients Off of PPIs
    • Some Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Resists PPI Treatment
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • New Developments in the Management of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
    • Some Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Resists PPI Treatment
    • Eustachian Tuboplasty: A Potential New Option for Chronic Tube Dysfunction and Patulous Disease
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Did You Receive COVID-19 Relief? Here Are Reporting Considerations for 2021
    • Otolaryngology Experts Share Best Practices in Five Areas
    • How Climate Change May Be Affecting Sleep Patterns for Adults and Children
    • Laryngologists Discuss Tough Tracheostomy Choices During COVID-19 Era
    • Head and Neck Cancer: Experts Discuss How to Improve Surgery Quality and Value

Polls

Did you receive funding from the CARES Act or Paycheck Protection Program?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Visit: The Triological Society • The Laryngoscope • Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology

Wiley
© 2021 The Triological Society. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN 1559-4939

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This site uses cookies: Find out more.