Risk of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Patients with Gout: A Population-Level Study in a South Korean National Health Screening Cohort

TL;DR

This study finds that gout patients in South Korea have a higher risk of sudden hearing loss compared to non-gout patients, especially younger and healthier individuals.

Contribution

The study is the first to specifically investigate the risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss in gout patients using a large national health cohort.

Findings

Gout patients had a significantly higher cumulative incidence of sudden sensorineural hearing loss compared to controls.

The risk was higher in younger gout patients and those with healthier profiles like non-smoking and normal BMI.

Adjusted hazard ratios confirmed an increased risk of sudden hearing loss in gout patients.

Abstract

Background: Gout, characterized by serum uric acid accumulation, prompts inflammation, leading to tissue damage and comorbidities. Prior studies reported a higher risk of hearing loss in gout patients; however, the specific risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) remains unclear. Method: This population-based study assessed SSNHL incidence and risk in patients aged ≥ 40 years with or without gout, excluding those with prior SSNHL, within the Korean National Health Insurance Service Health Screening Cohort (2002–2019). A total of 24,508 gout patients were matched 1:4 with 98,032 controls by age, sex, income, and region. SSNHL incidence was compared, and Kaplan–Meier curves with log-rank tests evaluated cumulative incidence over 200 months. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using stratified Cox models adjusted for patient characteristics. Results: SSNHL incidence was slightly higher in the gout cohort vs. controls (1.70% vs. 1.96%, SD = 0.02). Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed significantly higher cumulative SSNHL incidence in gout patients (p = 0.009). Patients with gout had a significantly higher risk of developing SSNHL in both the unadjusted (HR [95% CI]: 1.14 [1.03–1.27]; p = 0.010) and adjusted Cox models (1.13 [1.02–1.26]; p = 0.021). Subgroup analyses indicated higher risk in gout patients aged <60 years, males, non-smokers, non-drinkers, moderately-high income, normal BMI, Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 0, or fasting blood glucose < 100 mg/dL (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: Korean adults with gout, particularly younger, healthier patients, face increased SSNHL risk. Early, effective gout management may help mitigate this risk.

Figures