Statin Use and Reduced Risk of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Objective: To examine the association between statin use and the risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), focusing on statin type, dosage, and treatment duration. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Methods: We analyzed T2D patients diagnosed between 2008 and 2019, stratified into statin users and nonusers of lipid-lowering therapy. Propensity score matching was used to balance baseline characteristics. Multivariable Cox regression, adjusted for competing risks, assessed the association between statin use and SSNHL risk, as well as all-cause mortality. Statin exposure was analyzed based on cumulative and daily doses. Results: The study cohort included 66,120 statin users and 66,120 nonusers. Statin use was associated with a significantly lower SSNHL risk (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.83; 95% CI, 0.74-0.92; P =.0008) and reduced all-cause mortality (aHR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.52-0.57; P