What Researchers Did
Chinese researchers retrospectively analyzed 248 patients with sudden hearing loss receiving corticosteroid-based combination therapy, comparing outcomes based on age, treatment timing, and whether HBOT, batroxobin, or acupuncture was added.
What They Found
Starting treatment within 7 days of onset and being under 18 years old were both significantly associated with better hearing recovery. HBOT did not improve outcomes, in fact, patients with total deafness or low-frequency hearing loss subtypes who received HBOT showed significantly worse hearing improvement (p < 0.05). Batroxobin and acupuncture also showed no significant benefit.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadians with sudden hearing loss, this study suggests that getting to a doctor quickly and starting steroids early is the most important step, and that adding HBOT may not help and could potentially harm hearing outcomes in certain patient subtypes.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is not a standard OHIP-covered indication for HBOT in Ontario.
Study Limitations
This was a retrospective study that did not randomly assign treatments, meaning sicker patients may have been more likely to receive HBOT, which could explain the worse outcomes in that group.