Sudden sensory neural hearing loss is not predictive of myocardial infarction: A longitudinal follow-up study using a national sample cohort

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in SSNHL subjects with differently matched control groups. The Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service - National Sample Cohort recruited subjects from 2002 to 2013. We used two study designs. In study I, we matched 4,467 SSNHL participants with a control group (17,868 subjects with no history of SSNHL) based on demographic factors (age, sex, income, and region of residence) and medical history (diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension). In study II, we matched 4,467 SSNHL participants with a control group based on only demographic factors. The crude (simple) and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of SSNHL with MI were analyzed using the Cox-proportional hazard model. In study I, SSNHL was not associated with increased risk of MI. However, in study II, SSNHL was associated with increased risk of MI (adjusted HR = 1.39 95% CI = 1.00-1.93, P = 0.048). The SSNHL group did not exhibit increased risk of MI when compared to the control group matched by both demographic factors and medical history. However, compared to the control group not matched by medical history, the relative risk of MI was increased in the SSNHL group.

Figure 1

A schematic illustration of the participant selection process that was used in the present study. Out of a total of 1,025,340 participants, 4,467 SSNHL participants were matched with control participants for age, group, sex, income group, region of residence, and medical history (study I) and were rematched with a new group of control participants for age, group, sex, income group, and region of residence (study II).