Microvascular dysfunction in the cochlea has been considered the major cause of sudden hearing loss (SHL). For some time, prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), an effective vasodilator, has been used to treat patients with SHL, however the benefits of this therapy remain unclear. The present study assessed the efficacy of PGE1 on SHL via a quantitative meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled studies. The pooled odds ratio was 1.95 (95% confidence interval: 1.53, 2.50) and the test for overall effect (Z-value) was 5.31 (P < 0.00001), suggesting that PGE1 is an effective and promising strategy for the treatment of SHL.
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