Acute idiopathic sensorineural hearing impairment at frequency exceeding 8 kHz

Abstract

Conclusions: Acute idiopathic sensorineural hearing impairment at a frequency exceeding 8 kHz (high-frequency range) was recognized in patients suffering from acute tinnitus without hearing loss. The cases in this study may contribute to clarifying the pathogenesis of tinnitus without hearing loss and evaluating its response to steroid therapy. Objectives: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the existence of acute idiopathic sensorineural hearing impairment only in the high-frequency range and to investigate its relation to tinnitus without hearing loss. Methods: Five patients aged 29 years or younger who consulted a hospital within a few days after the onset of unilateral tinnitus without hearing loss were studied. We conducted audiometry involving the high-frequency range on first medical examination and on improvement in tinnitus, and investigated the association between the hearing findings in the high-frequency range and a tinnitus prognosis. Results: All five patients showed abnormalities in the threshold in the high-frequency range on the affected side. In the three cases given prednisolone, tinnitus and the threshold abnormalities were reduced within 20 days. In contrast, tinnitus and the threshold abnormalities showed little change in two patients who were not treated.