Risk of developing sudden sensorineural hearing loss in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to explore the risk of developing of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS A population-based, retrospective cohort study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database was conducted. From 2001 to 2006, 9121 patients with newly diagnosed NPC and 45,605 comparison subjects without NPC were selected. The incidence of SSHL at the end of 2009 was determined. RESULTS The incidence of SSHL was 6.53-fold higher in the NPC group compared to the non-NPC group (p < .001). Using Cox proportional hazard regressions, the risk of developing SSHL increased with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 6.747 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.366-8.484) in patients with NPC compared with patients without NPC. CONCLUSION NPC was significantly associated with an increased risk of developing SSHL. The risk of developing SSHL increased over follow-up time.