Increased risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss in patients with cervical spondylosis

Whether cervical spondylosis (CS) is a risk factor for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) remains unclear. This study used national population-based data to investigate the risk of SSNHL in patients with CS in Taiwan of different ages and sexes. This study used data covering 2 million people in Taiwan, which were obtained from the National Health Insurance Research Database. The data that support the findings of this study are available from National Health Insurance Research Database but restrictions apply to the availability of these data, which were used under license for the current study, and so are not publicly available. Data are however available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request and with permission of National Health Insurance Research Database. This retrospective cohort study enrolled 91,587 patients with a newly diagnosed CS between January 2000 and December 2018. Case and control cohorts were matched 1:1 according to age, sex, and comorbidities. SSNHL incidence rate and risk were compared between the groups. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The mean follow-up period was 8.80 (SD = 4.12) and 8.24 (SD = 4.09) years in the CS and control cohorts, respectively. The incidence rate of SSNHL in the CS cohort (85.28 per 100 000 person-years) was 1.49-fold significantly higher than that in the non-CS cohort (57.13 per 100,000 person-years) (95% CI 1.32-1.68, P < .001). After age, sex, and selected comorbidities were adjusted for, CS exhibited an independent risk factor for SSNHL (adjusted HR = 1.52; 95% CI   1.34-1.71, P < .001). An age-stratified analysis in this study demonstrated a strong and highly significant association between CS and SSNHL in patients aged < 35 years (IRR = 2.28, 95% CI   1.18-4.39, P = .013). This large-scale Taiwanese-population-based retrospective study found that CS was associated with an increased risk of SSNHL. Acute hearing loss in patients with CS, particularly at a young age, should be carefully evaluated, and prompt treatment for SSNHL should be initiated.