Association between mitral valve prolapse and sudden sensorineural hearing loss: A case-control population-based...

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Cardiology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is an otologic emergency with multifactorial causes.
• Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is a common cardiac condition with potential systemic implications.
• The association between MVP and SSNHL remains underexplored in large-scale population studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential association between a prior diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and the subsequent risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).
• To quantify the risk of SSNHL in patients with MVP compared to those without MVP using a population-based dataset.

Main Methods:

• A population-based, case-control study utilizing data from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database.
• Identified 3399 incident SSNHL cases and matched them with 3399 controls using propensity score matching based on demographic and comorbidity factors.
• Employed chi-squared tests and conditional logistic regression to analyze the association between prior MVP diagnosis and SSNHL.

Main Results:

• A total of 6798 subjects were analyzed, with 131 (1.93%) having a prior MVP diagnosis.
• The prevalence of prior MVP was significantly higher in SSNHL cases (2.41%) compared to controls (1.44%) (p = 0.004).
• Conditional logistic regression revealed that patients with MVP had an adjusted odds ratio of 1.69 (95% CI: 1.18–2.42) for developing SSNHL.

Conclusions:

• This study demonstrates a statistically significant association between mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and an increased risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).
• Individuals with MVP face a 1.69-fold higher likelihood of experiencing SSNHL.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms connecting MVP and SSNHL.