Objectives: To evaluate the auditory improvement and quality of life in the labor and social sphere scans in patients diagnosed with sudden deafness from 2014 to 2021 treated in the Otorhinolaryngology Emergency Room of a tertiary hospital in the Federal District.

Methods: 50 patients were scheduled for a follow-up after the diagnosis of sudden sensorineural hearing loss with application of the reassessment protocol, anxiety scale and Beck depression. If tinnitus complains, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory was applied. Also, they performed the otoacoustic emissions, audiometry and impedance methanime tests. This study was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee with protocol 46677821.3.0000.8153.

Results: Fifty patients diagnosed with sudden deafness from 2014 to 2021 in the Emergency Room of a tertiary hospital in the Federal District participated in the study. 46% of the patients underwent treatment with oral corticosteroid therapy with auditory improvement in 60.8% by the criterion of Furuhashi and Modified Siegel. In 5 cases of the studied participants, due to comorbidities that contraindicate the use of oral therapy, intratympanic corticosteroid therapy was indicated and a 60% rate of hearing improvement was observed. In 40% of the participants, the association between oral and intratympanic rescue corticosteroids was performed with good results in 35% of the cases. Of the remaining participants, 1 did not undergo treatment and 1 underwent surgery. 52% had a minimum score in the Beck Depression questionnaire and 44% had a minimum score in the Beck Anxiety questionnaire. In the THI questionnaire, 20% was severe and 26% catastrophic.

Discussion: Few studies address’ the impact that sudden sensorineural hearing loss has on the patient's quality of life. It is compromised by the impact of vertigo, tinnitus and difficulty in sense of direction and understanding due to unilateral hearing loss. In this study, we observed a high score of depression and anxiety in patients who remained with hypoacusis after treatment. With the application of THI, this study evidenced the significant social, labor and personal impact in patients who persisted with tinnitus.

Conclusion: It is necessary to carry out a multidisciplinary approach of these cases due to the social and psychological impact of this diagnosis. It is important a long-term follow-up for audiological follow-up, auditory and social rehabilitation in view of the great impact of this disease on the well-being and comfort of these patients.

Keywords: Sudden hearing loss; Audibility assessment; Quality of life; Rebilitation of hearing loss; Tinnitus.