Quality of Life Reported by Patients With Idiopathic Sudden ... : Otology & Neurotology (original) (raw)

Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

Quality of Life Reported by Patients With Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Sano, Hajime*; Okamoto, Makito*; Ohhashi, Kentaro*; Iwasaki, Satoshi†; Ogawa, Kaoru‡

*Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Kanagawa; †Department of Hearing Implant Science, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano; and ‡Department of Othorhinolaryngology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Hajime Sano, M.D., Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kitasato University, School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato Minamiku Sagamihara Kanagawa 252-0374 Japan; E-mail: [email protected]

This study was supported by the Acute Profound Deafness Research Committee of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan.

The authors disclose no conflicts of interest.

Abstract

Objective

This study evaluated quality of life (QOL) in the patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL).

Study Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Multicenter clinical investigation in ten university hospitals.

Patients

In total, 167 patients with ISSHL and 134 patients with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (BSHL; control) were included.

Main Outcome Measures

The Short Form Health Survey Version 2 was used to assess the health-related QOL.

Results

The average scores of 8 domains and 2 summary components were similar between the 2 groups. All scores except those for bodily pain (BP) in ISSHL patients and BP and vitality in BSHL patients were significantly lower than the Japanese average. Scores for the mental component summary (MCS) were especially low in ISSHL patients. MCS scores of ISSHL patients aged 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, and 70 years or older were significantly lower than the Japanese average for each age group. MCS scores of BSHL patients 70 years or older were significantly lower than the Japanese average. Two-way analysis of variance revealed no significant association of disease (ISSHL and BSHL) and age with MCS score. Interactions were also not significant. The effects of sex, age, hearing level, and time interval from the onset on MCS scores of ISSHL patients were evaluated using multiple regression analysis. Age and time interval from the onset were observed to be significant confounders.

Conclusion

The QOL of patients with ISSHL deteriorated especially in terms of mental functioning. Similar deterioration was observed in BSHL patients.