Coenzyme Q10 in combination with steroid therapy for treatment of sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a controlled prospective study

Clin Otolaryngol. 2010 Dec;35(6):486-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-4486.2010.02201.x.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of coenzyme Q10 added to systemic steroid in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Design: A controlled prospective study.

Setting: Asan medical center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine.

Participants: Between August 2007 and October 2008, the first 60 patients diagnosed with sudden sensorineural hearing loss were managed with systemic steroid treatment for 2 weeks including 5-day hospitalisation. And the second 60 patients were managed with coenzyme Q10 for 2 weeks added to previous management.

Main outcome measures: We evaluated auditory function by pure tone audiometry and speech discrimination score. Auditory evaluations were performed before and 3 months after treatment using Siegel's criteria. The degree of improvement in four-tone average hearing and speech discrimination score was calculated from the results before and after treatment.

Results: The total hearing improvement rate after the treatment was 75.0% (90/120 patients) in this study. Although 47 patients (78.3%) of coenzyme Q10 group showed better hearing improvement than 43 patients (71.7%) of control group, there was no significant difference. However, the coenzyme Q10 group showed significantly higher improvement in speech discrimination score.

Conclusion: From this study, we suggest that coenzyme Q10 may have beneficial effects in the treatment of sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Audiometry, Pure-Tone
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Glucocorticoids / administration & dosage
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
  • Hearing Loss, Sudden / diagnosis
  • Hearing Loss, Sudden / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
  • Male
  • Methylprednisolone / administration & dosage
  • Methylprednisolone / therapeutic use*
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Ubiquinone / administration & dosage
  • Ubiquinone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Ubiquinone / therapeutic use
  • Vitamins / administration & dosage
  • Vitamins / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
  • Vitamins
  • Ubiquinone
  • coenzyme Q10
  • Methylprednisolone