Acupuncture Combined With Glucocorticoids Therapy for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss：A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
The goal of this multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with corticosteroid therapy in treating sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). The main questions it aims to answer are: Does acupuncture combined with corticosteroids improve hearing recovery (pure tone audiometry, PTA) at 8 weeks compared with sham acupuncture combined with corticosteroids? Does this treatment improve secondary outcomes, including tinnitus, dizziness, sleep quality, anxiety, and quality of life? Researchers will compare acupuncture (experimental group) with sham acupuncture (control group) to determine the added therapeutic effect of acupuncture. Participants will: 1. Receive either real acupuncture or sham acupuncture 3 times per week for 4 weeks. 2. Meanwhile, take oral prednisone (1 mg/kg/day, maximum 60 mg/day) for 7 days followed by a 7-day taper. 3. Undergo hearing tests (PTA, word recognition scores), vestibular function tests, and complete validated questionnaires (SF-36, HADS, ISI, DHI, THI, and TCM symptom scales) at baseline and weeks 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12. 4. Receive salvage intratympanic steroid injections if hearing does not improve sufficiently by day 14.
• Age between 18 and 70 years;
• Meets the diagnostic criteria for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL): sudden, unexplained sensorineural hearing loss occurring within 72 hours, with a hearing threshold decrease of ≥30 dB in at least three consecutive frequencies among 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 Hz (reference: previous audiologic examination or same frequencies of the contralateral ear);
• Unilateral SSNHL with self-perceived symmetrical hearing in both ears prior to the current episode (or supported by previous audiologic examination reports);
• Time from symptom onset to enrollment and treatment initiation within 14 days;
• Clear consciousness and logical responses, able to understand the scale items and complete the assessments;
• Agrees to participate in the trial and signs a written informed consent form.