Vitiligo patients have significantly increased odds of sensorineural hearing loss: Study

Vitiligo is a frequent depigmenting condition caused by autoimmune melanocyte loss. Some data shows that melanocytes in the auditory system are involved in the illness process. However, the link between vitiligo and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is yet unknown.

A new study data to date suggests a link of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) with vitiligo. The findings point to the need of audiologic evaluation in the early detection and management of hearing loss in vitiligo patients.

The following study was conducted by Sheng-Hsiang Ma and team with the objective to look at the link between vitiligo and SNHL. The findings of this study were published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

This meta-analysis was filed in PROSPERO (CRD42020195745) and was carried out in accordance with the criteria for Meta-analyses of Observational Studies in Epidemiology. Cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies were all eligible. The literature search, data extraction, and quality evaluation were all carried out separately by the two reviewers. Any disagreements were addressed by consensus among the reviewers or by referring the matter to a third reviewer. The databases EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Cochrane were searched for relevant studies from their start to June 28, 2020. The PubMed search criteria were as follows: (hearing loss [MeSH]) AND (pigmentation disorder [MeSH] OR vitiligo [MeSH]). For Embase, MEDLINE, and Cochrane, we used the following search terms: ("hearing" or "hypoacusis") and ("vitiligo" or "pigment disorder"). There were no language restrictions.

The key findings of this study were:

1. A total of 14 case-control studies involving 938 vitiligo patients were included in the study.

2. The meta-analysis found a link between SNHL and vitiligo (odds ratio [OR] 6.02 [95 percent confidence interval [CI] 3.41-10.62]).

3. After adjusting for research quality and publication bias, the link remained significant, with ORs of 5.30 (95 percent CI 1.53-18.35) and 3.45 (95 percent CI 1.75-6.81), respectively.

To summaries, the data to date suggests a link between SNHL and vitiligo. Dermatologists who treat vitiligo patients should be aware of this potential comorbidity, and frequent hearing testing may be necessary for early detection and management.

Reference:

Sheng-Hsiang Ma, Min-De Ang, Yun-Ting Chang, Ying-Xiu Dai, Association between vitiligo and hearing loss, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2020.12.029.