Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Case-Control Study

Objective To investigate the role of cardiovascular risk factors (specifically hypertension [HTN], hyperlipidemia/dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus I and II, and body mass index (BMI) on the development of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). Study Design Case-control retrospective chart review. Setting A tertiary referral center. Patients Patients aged 18 to 85 years who presented to the clinic over a 1-year span (September 17, 2020 to September 17, 2021) for evaluation of sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Main Outcome Measure Comparing the prevalence of the different cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss compared with when compared with non-SSNHL patients at a neurotology clinic. Results Two hundred twenty-three patients with SSNHL were compared with age- and gender-matched comparison group to investigate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors within each group. There are no statistically significant differences ( p > 0.05) in the prevalence of HTN, hyperlipidemia/dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus I and II, and BMI in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss when compared with non-SSNHL patients at a neurotology clinic. Conclusions Despite correlation between CVRF and SSNHL found in some other studies, we did not find a significant correlation between CVRF (diabetes, HTN, dyslipidemia, and high BMI) and SSNHL in our retrospective case control study of patients presenting to a nonacademic tertiary neurotology clinic. Although there may be other factors contributing to the pathogenesis of SSNHL, we have not yet identified these factors.