Association between obstructive sleep apnea and sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a population-based case-control...

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Sleep Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is linked to systemic inflammation and other health issues.
• The relationship between OSA and auditory disorders, specifically sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), remains under-investigated.
• Large-scale studies are needed to explore potential associations between OSA and SSNHL.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).
• To utilize a nationwide population-based dataset for robust epidemiological analysis.
• To determine if OSA is a risk factor for developing SSNHL.

Main Methods:

• A nationwide population-based case-control study was conducted.
• 3,192 patients diagnosed with SSNHL were identified as cases.
• 15,960 controls matched by sex and age were randomly selected from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database.

Main Results:

• A prior diagnosis of OSA was more common in male patients with SSNHL compared to controls (OR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.02-2.16; P = .04).
• No significant association was observed between OSA and SSNHL in female patients.
• The prevalence of OSA was 1.7% in the SSNHL group and 1.2% in the control group.

Conclusions:

• Male patients with SSNHL showed a higher prevalence of prior OSA diagnosis.
• The study did not find a similar association between OSA and SSNHL in female patients.
• Further research is recommended to confirm these findings, elucidate underlying mechanisms, and explore sex-based differences.