Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss and comorbid benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: Some pathogenic additional considerations

摘要

An interesting paper concerning the characteristics of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing (ISSNHL) loss with comorbid ipsilateral benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and their prognostic value has recently been published by Song et al. (1) in Otology & Neurotology, concluding that comorbid BPPV may be a poor prognostic factor in ISSNHL. Conversely, a very recent study confirms that the impact of the presence of BPPV on the outcome of SSNHL is controversial (2). In their study, Song et al. (1) examine a heterogeneous population as concerns age, possibly involving in the same group both patients with compromised vascular conditions and patients free from vascular risks (range, 9-90 yr); in our opinion, this difference could be of a certain significance with regard to the possibilities of a recovery.