Higher Risk of Meniere’s Disease found in Atopic Dermatitis Patients, Especially Among Older Adults and Women: Study
South Korea: A recent nationwide cohort study has identified a significant association between atopic dermatitis (AD) and an elevated risk of developing Meniere’s disease (MD), a disorder affecting the inner ear and often characterized by vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The findings were published online in The Laryngoscope.
In the study, which tracked participants over an extended period, individuals with atopic dermatitis were found to have a 1.44-fold higher likelihood of developing Meniere’s disease compared to those without AD. Additionally, factors such as older age, female gender, and coexisting conditions like allergic rhinitis, allergic contact dermatitis, and allergic conjunctivitis were found to heighten the risk of developing Meniere's disease.
Atopic dermatitis is a long-term inflammatory skin disorder marked by recurring flare-ups and periods of remission. While AD is widely recognized for its links to other allergic conditions, its connection to Meniere's disease remains largely unexplored. Consequently, the Eun Jung Lee, Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea, and colleagues set out to investigate the potential association between AD and Meniere's disease.
For this purpose, the researchers used data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort, a comprehensive population-based database. The AD group was drawn from a cohort of one million individuals randomly selected from this database, while a matched non-AD group was created using Propensity Score Matching.
The study's findings include the following key points:
- The study included 84,579 individuals in the AD group, with an equal number in the non-AD (control) group.
- The overall hazard ratio (HR) for developing Meniere’s disease in the AD group was 1.44.
- Subgroup analysis revealed adjusted HRs for Meniere’s disease as follows:
- Males: 0.42
- Middle-aged group (40–59 years): 4.99
- Older age group (≥60 years): 8.21
- Patients with additional allergic conditions had higher adjusted HRs for Meniere's disease:
- Allergic rhinitis: 1.18
- Allergic contact dermatitis: 1.32
- Allergic conjunctivitis: 1.54
The long-term follow-up showed that individuals in the AD group had a 1.44 times higher prevalence of Meniere’s disease compared to the control group. Additionally, factors such as older age, female gender, and coexisting conditions like allergic rhinitis, allergic contact dermatitis, and allergic conjunctivitis were found to increase the likelihood of developing Meniere's disease.
"Given the high prevalence of atopic dermatitis globally, these findings could have considerable implications for public health. An improved understanding of the connection between chronic inflammatory conditions and vestibular disorders may lead to better preventive measures and early interventions for those at higher risk," the researchers concluded.
Reference:
Yeo, C. D., Lee, J., Kim, J. S., & Lee, E. J. Association Between Atopic Dermatitis and Meniere's Disease: Nationwide Cohort Study. The Laryngoscope. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.31906
