Elsevier

Auris Nasus Larynx

Volume 24, Issue 3, July 1997, Pages 265-270
Auris Nasus Larynx

Risk factors for sudden deafness: a case-control study

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0385-8146(96)00024-7Get rights and content

Abstract

In order to investigate risk factors for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (sudden deafness), a case-control study was done in 109 patients with sudden deafness who visited our hospital between 1992 and 1994, with 109 controls matched to each patient by gender and age. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for smoking habits, drinking habits, dietary habits, environmental noise, past history of disease, sleeping hours, appetite, fatigue, incidence of common cold were obtained. Fatigue (OR: 3.28; 95% CI: 1.36–7.90) and loss of appetite (OR: 8.00; 95% CI: 1.00–64.0) elevated the risk for sudden deafness. Those who ate many fresh vegetables were at a decreased risk (OR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.24–0.96 for light-colored vegetables, OR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.30–1.02 for green-yellow vegetables). Personal histories of hypertension and thyroid disease, and susceptibility to colds appeared to be positively associated with the risk (0.05<P<0.10). Smoking habits, drinking habits and environmental noise had no significant association with sudden deafness. These results suggested that environmental factors, including diet, may be importantly involved in the genesis of sudden deafness.

Introduction

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is known to be causally related to viral infection, circulatory disturbance in the area of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery, acoustic tumor and perilymphatic fistula and so on [1]. In most patients, however, we cannot identify the probable causes, and therefore idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (sudden deafness) is diagnosed. This essentially implies the importance of investigating risk factors for sudden deafness. To determine risk factors in Japan, we undertook a case-control study of sudden deafness

Section snippets

Materials and methods

Sudden deafness was diagnosed according to criteria described by the Research Committee of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Japan (Table 1). The subjects for this case-control study included 109 patients (cases) with definitively diagnosed sudden deafness, who consulted Nagoya University Hospital between 1992 and 1994, with 109 controls matched to each patients by gender and age (±5 years). Controls were individually selected from those acquainted with each patient and had the same gender

Results

Risk modification by smoking and drinking habits is shown in Table 3. No significant risk modification was detected for sudden deafness by smoking and drinking habits. Neither ndise at the work place nor that at home showed any significant association with the onset of sudden deafness (data not shown).

Consumption of various kinds of food and beverage by patients and controls are shown in Table 4. There was no difference between patients and controls except for fresh vegetables. Those who ate

Discussion

To our knowledge, this is the first report of a case-control study that investigated risk factors for sudden deafness. Our results demonstrated that sudden deafness was occasionally preceded by common cold or upper respiratory tract infection, as reported among patients with vestibular neuronitis 2, 3, 4. From the perspective of pathogenesis, there is some relationship between sudden deafness and vestibular neuronitis 5, 6. Sekitani et al. [3]reported that approximately 30% of patients with

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