Content area
(1) Background: The role of air pollutants as risk factors for tinnitus remains unclear. To address this gap in research, we conducted a nationwide retrospective cohort study in Taiwan by integrating patients’ clinical data with daily air quality data to evaluate the environmental risk factors associated with tinnitus. (2) Methods: The Taiwan National Health Research Database (NHIRD) includes medical records for nearly all residents of Taiwan. To assess pollution levels, we used daily air quality data from the Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency regarding SO2, CO, NO, NOX, and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10). We merged the NHIRD data with air quality information based on the residents’ locations and the positions of air quality monitoring stations. Pollutant levels were then categorized into quartiles (Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4). (3) Results: This study included 284,318 subjects. After controlling for covariates, the adjusted HR (95 CI%) for tinnitus increased with increasing SO2, CO, NO, NOX, PM2.5, and PM10 exposure levels, specifically from 1.24 (95 CI% = 1.18, 1.30) to 1.35 (95 CI% = 1.28–1.41); from 1.15 (95 CI% = 1.09, 1.21) to 1.90 (95 CI% = 1.81, 2.00); from 0.86 (95 CI% = 0.82, 0.91) to 1.69 (95 CI% = 1.62, 1.77); from 1.62 (95 CI% = 1.54, 1.71) to 1.69 (95 CI% = 1.60, 1.77); from 0.16 (95 CI% = 0.15, 0.18) to 2.70 (95 CI% = 2.57, 2.84); and from 2.53 (95 CI% = 2.38, 2.69) to 3.58 (95 CI% = 3.39, 3.78), respectively, compared to the Q1 concentrations for all air pollutants. (4) Conclusions: During the 15-year follow-up period, we found a significant positive correlation between air pollutant exposure and the risk of tinnitus.
Details
Alcohol abuse;
Air pollution;
Air monitoring;
Environmental protection;
Exposure;
Particulate matter;
Risk factors;
Public health;
Tinnitus;
Urbanization;
Pollution levels;
Pollutants;
Humidity;
Chronic illnesses;
Sulfur dioxide;
Environmental risk;
Outdoor air quality;
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;
Osteoporosis;
Particulate emissions;
Asthma;
Suspended particulate matter;
Medical records;
Nitrogen dioxide
; Yu-Kang, Chang 4
; Yi-Chao, Hsu 5 ; Ing-Ming, Chiu 6 ; Tsai Stella Chin-Shaw 7
; Der-Yang, Cho 8 ; Cheng-Li, Lin 9
; Tsung-Hsing, Lin 10 ; Wu-Lung, Chuang 11 1 Department of Family Medicine, Tungs’ Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital, Taichung 435, Taiwan; [email protected]
2 College of Medicine, The School of Chinese Medicine for Post Baccalaureate, I-Shou University (Yancho Campus), Kaohsiung 824, Taiwan; [email protected], Department of Chinese Medicine, E-DA Hospital, Kaohsiung 824, Taiwan, Department of Chinese Medicine, E-DA Cancer Hospital, Kaohsiung 824, Taiwan
3 Department of Medical Research, Tungs’ Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital, Taichung 435, Taiwan; [email protected] (K.-H.C.); [email protected] (Y.-K.C.), Center for General Education, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan, General Education Center, Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli 356, Taiwan
4 Department of Medical Research, Tungs’ Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital, Taichung 435, Taiwan; [email protected] (K.-H.C.); [email protected] (Y.-K.C.), Department of Nursing, Jen-Teh Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Miaoli 356, Taiwan
5 Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City 252, Taiwan; [email protected], Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City 252, Taiwan
6 Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan; [email protected] (I.-M.C.);
7 Department of Otolaryngology, Tungs’ Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital, Taichung 435, Taiwan; [email protected], Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan
8 Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan; [email protected] (I.-M.C.);, Translational Cell Therapy Center, Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan, Department of Neurosurgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan
9 Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan; [email protected], College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
10 Department of Emergency Medicine, Kuang Tien General Hospital, Taichung 433, Taiwan
11 Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 500, Taiwan, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Lukang Christian Hospital, Changhua 505, Taiwan