EFFECT OF INTRA-TYMPANIC PLATELET RICH PLASMA AND STEROID INJECTION ON SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS

Background: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is one of the most prevalent forms of hearing impairment worldwide, often resulting from irreversible damage to cochlear structures. Inflammation has been identified as a critical factor in its pathogenesis. While corticosteroids are the conventional therapeutic choice due to their anti-inflammatory effects, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has recently emerged as a promising alternative because of its regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties. Objective: To compare the frequency of hearing improvement in patients with SNHL treated with intra-tympanic platelet-rich plasma versus intra-tympanic dexamethasone injection. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted at Combined Military Hospital, Sialkot, from January to June 2023. Ninety patients aged ≥18 years with documented SNHL and intact tympanic membranes were enrolled and non-randomly allocated into two groups: Group-P (intra-tympanic PRP) and Group-S (intra-tympanic dexamethasone). Each patient received four weekly injections of their assigned treatment. Pure tone audiometry (PTA) was performed at baseline and two weeks after the final injection. Hearing improvement was defined as a ≥10 dB gain in PTA. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22, with p ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The median age was 35.00 (IQR: 11.25) years; 58 (64.4%) were male and 32 (35.6%) were female. Pre-injection PTA values were comparable: 52.00 (7.00) dB in Group-P and 52.00 (7.50) dB in Group-S (p = 0.721). Post-injection PTA values showed significant improvement in both groups: 35.00 (16.50) dB in Group-P and 38.00 (6.50) dB in Group-S (p = 0.023). Hearing improvement was achieved in 32 (71.11%) patients in Group-P compared to 23 (51.11%) in Group-S (p = 0.041). Conclusion: Intra-tympanic PRP demonstrated superior efficacy compared to dexamethasone in improving hearing outcomes among patients with SNHL.