/OBJECTIVES: The incidence of acute low-frequency hearing loss has gradually increased in recent years. However, its specific etiology and pathophysiology remain largely unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic factors of acute low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss.
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
This large retrospective series adds prognostic detail on acute low-frequency SNHL, but retrospective design limits causal inference; no immediate change to clinical management protocols is warranted pending prospective validation.
Acute low-frequency SNHL is under-studied compared to sudden high-frequency loss; a 546-case analysis is one of the larger datasets characterising its prognosis and may inform future treatment stratification.
- 01546 cases of acute low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss were retrospectively analysed.
- 02Study examined aetiology (causes), pathophysiology (how the condition develops), and prognostic factors.
- 03Retrospective design limits the strength of causal conclusions.
- 04Published in Annals of Medicine.
- 05Findings may help identify which patients are most likely to recover hearing spontaneously.
Specific prognostic factors can predict recovery outcomes in acute low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42773820
- DOI
- 10.1080/07853890.2026.2732709.
- Journal
- Annals of Medicine
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 4
- Sample size
- 546
- Population
- Patients diagnosed with acute low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss
- Intervention
- Retrospective medical record review of acute low-frequency SNHL cases
Primary outcomes
Characterisation of aetiology and pathophysiology of acute low-frequency SNHL; Identification of prognostic factors for hearing recovery