Short-Term Effect of Adjunctive Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation on Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Tinnitus: A Preliminary Study

BACKGROUND: Transcranial random noise stimulation has previously been used to manage tinnitus. This study assessed the feasibility of adju-vant transcranial random noise stimulation with conventional steroid treatment for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss with or without tinnitus. METHODS: Prospective, randomized, single-blind study was conducted in Eulji University hospital. Twenty-four patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss were admitted for treatment between March 2019 and February 2020. The study group received 4 sessions of adju-vant transcranial random noise stimulation (frequency band: 0.1-100 Hz; target, T7/T8; duration: 20 minutes), while the control group received only conventional treatment. Hearing levels at admission, discharge day (day 7), and 4 weeks later and clinical characteristics were assessed. The primary outcome measure was hearing improvement at 4 weeks after neuromodulation. The secondary outcome measure was the presence of tinnitus at 4 weeks. RESULTS: The mean hearing thresholds improved significantly over time (P < .05). Although initial hearing levels did not differ between the 2 groups, the study group had a significantly better hearing at 4 weeks after discharge (P > .05). A significant interaction was also observed between the mean hearing thresholds at various timepoints and transcranial random noise stimulation (P = .001). However, the persistence of tinnitus after treatment did not differ irrespective of the allocation groups. CONCLUSION: Adjuvant transcranial random noise stimulation seems to be a potential treatment option for hearing restoration in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss without serious complications. However, transcranial random noise stimulation does not seem to alleviate tinnitus.