Air pollution increases the risk of SSNHL: A nested case-control study using meteorological data and national sample cohort data

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 8270
• Main Authors: Choi, Hyo Geun, Min, Chanyang, Kim, So Young
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 04.06.2019; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/1807/4024; 692/499; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Air Pollutants - adverse effects; Air pollution; Air Pollution - adverse effects; Atmospheric pressure; Carbon Monoxide - adverse effects; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child, Preschool; Cohort Studies; Diabetes mellitus; Dyslipidemia; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Environmental Monitoring; Female; Hearing loss; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural - chemically induced; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural - epidemiology; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural - pathology; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Humidity; Male; Meteorology; Middle Aged; multidisciplinary; Nitric Oxide - adverse effects; Nitrogen dioxide; Ozone - adverse effects; Particulate Matter - adverse effects; Pollution; Relative humidity; Risk Factors; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sulfur Dioxide - adverse effects; Temperature effects; Young Adult
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44618-0

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of weather conditions and air pollution on the onset of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). The Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service - National Sample Cohort (HIRA-NSC) from 2002 through 2013 was used. A total of 5,200 participants with SSNHL were matched 1:4 for age, sex, income, region of residence, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia with 20,800 control participants. Meteorological data included daily mean temperature (°C), daily highest temperature (°C), daily lowest temperature (°C), daily temperature difference (°C), relative humidity (%), ambient atmospheric pressure (hPa), pressure, SO 2 (ppm), NO 2 (ppm), O 3 (ppm), CO (ppm), and PM 10 (μg/m 3 ) of a mean of 60 days, 30 days, 14 days, 7 days, and 3 days before SSNHL were analyzed. Hourly measurements were taken from 94 places to assess the temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure and from 273 places to determine SO 2 , NO 2 , O 3 , CO, and PM 10 . Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of meteorological data for SSNHL were analyzed using unconditional logistic regression analyses. Subgroup analyses were conducted by age and sex. The mean NO 2 and O 3 concentrations 14 days before the index date were different in the SSNHL group compared to those in the control group (P < 0.001 for NO 2 and P = 0.021 for O 3 ). The adjusted 14-day OR for NO 2 (0.1 ppm) exposure was 3.12 in the SSNHL group compared to that in the control group (95% CI = 2.16–4.49, P < 0.001). The increased odds of NO 2 exposure for 14 days in the SSNHL group persisted in the age group older than 30 years for both sexes. Other meteorological conditions did not show differences between the SSNHL and control groups. SSNHL was associated with high concentrations of NO 2.