Research article

Weather conditions and sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Vasilis Danielides ¹ , Christina-Sophia Nousia ¹ , Aristides Bartzokas ² , Christos J Lolis ² , Maria Kateri ³ and Antonios Skevas ¹

¹Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Ioannina Medical School, Ioannina 45110, Greece

²Laboratory of Meteorology, Department of Physics, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece

³Department of Philosophy-Education-Psychology, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece

author email corresponding author email

BMC Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders 2002, 2:2doi:10.1186/1472-6815-2-2

Published:	17 July 2002

Abstract

Background

Climatic or meteorological condition changes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (ISSHL). We investigated the seasonal distribution of ISSHL and evaluated the influence of meteorological parameters (such as temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure), their variation and covariation on the incidence of the disease.

Methods

A total of 82 cases of ISSHL, admitted to our department over a five-year period, were enrolled in the study. Seasonal distribution of the disease was investigated by dividing the year in four seasons. Meteorological data included daily values of 13 distinct parameters recorded at the meteorological station of the University of Ioannina during this period. A relationship between each meteorological variable and the incidence of ISSHL was investigated by applying (χ²) test on data from 13 contingency tables as well as by using logistic regression and t-test approaches. In addition, the influence of different weather types on the incidence of ISSHL was investigated using Cluster Analysis in order to create eight clusters (weather types) characteristic for the prefecture of Ioannina.

Results

The results of the study could not indicate any seasonal distribution of the disease. The incidence of ISSHL could not be significantly correlated either to any distinct meteorological parameter or to any specific weather type.

Conclusions

Meteorological conditions, such as those dominating in the Northwestern Greece, and/or their changes, have no proven effect on the incidence of ISSHL.