背景:军事人员的听力损失是一个众所周知的挑战,报告为第二常见的VA服务相关残疾。虽然大多数听力损失是逐渐发生的,一个子集突然发生,显著影响生活质量和军事准备,被认为是医疗紧急情况.这项研究旨在评估军事系统内不同亚群之间突发性听力损失的发生率,以更好地识别高危人群。
方法:本研究是一项基于人群的回顾性研究,回顾了2016年1月1日至2021年12月31日在美国国防部现役军人中所有被诊断为突发性听力损失的病例。对多个亚群进行统计分析。
结果:在研究期间,现役服务人员诊断出2,650例突发性听力损失,平均每年每10万人中32.9例,相比之下,平民人口中每年每10万人报告5至27例。高级官员表现出突发性听力损失的比率显着增加,每年每10万人中有103.9例,可能是年龄增长的结果,空军人员也是如此,每年每10万人有45.1例。基于军事职业专业的发病率没有差异,尽管与驻扎在美国境内的人员相比,位于海外的服务人员的发病率有所下降。在冠状病毒-19大流行之前的几年(2016-2019年)与大流行开始后的几年(2020-2021年)相比,没有显着差异。
结论:突发性听力损失在军事人员中似乎比在平民人群中更常见。高级官员发病率的增加可能是由于年龄的增加,尽管有必要对所报告的入伍军人和军官之间的听力损失发生率之间的差异进行进一步评估。虽然军事职业专业在发病率上没有显着差异,由于迄今为止未知的原因,空军中的那些人表现出突发性听力损失的发生率增加。尽管确定了其他潜在的危险人群,集中精力更好地了解导致高级军官和空军人员发病率升高的因素,将有助于更好地减轻突发性听力损失的发病率和影响。
BACKGROUND: Hearing loss among military personnel is a well-known challenge, reported as the second most common VA service-connected disability. Although most hearing loss occurs gradually, a subset occurs suddenly and significantly impacts quality of life and military readiness and is considered as a medical emergency. This study aims to evaluate the incidence of sudden hearing loss among different subpopulations within the military system to better identify at-risk groups.
METHODS: This study was a retrospective population-based study reviewing all cases of diagnosed sudden hearing loss between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2021 within active duty service members in the U.S. DoD. Statistical analysis of multiple subpopulations was performed.
RESULTS: There were 2,650 cases of sudden hearing loss diagnosed in active duty service members during the study period, with an average incidence of 32.9 cases per 100,000 people per year, compared with 5 to 27 cases per 100,000 people per year reported in civilian populations. Senior officers demonstrated significantly increased rates of sudden hearing loss with 103.9 cases per 100,000 people per year, likely as a result of increased age, as did Air Force personnel with 45.1 cases per 100,000 people per year. There was no difference in incidence based on military occupational specialty, though service members located overseas were noted to have decreased incidence compared with those stationed within the USA. There was no significant difference during the years before coronavirus-19 pandemic (2016-2019) compared to the years following the start of the pandemic (2020-2021).
CONCLUSIONS: Sudden hearing loss appears to occur more frequently in military personnel than in the civilian population. The increased incidence in senior officers is likely driven by increased age, though further evaluation into the discrepancies between reported incidence of hearing loss among enlisted service members and officers is warranted. Although military occupational specialty did not demonstrate any significant difference in incidence, for thus far unknown reasons those in the Air Force demonstrated increased rates of sudden hearing loss. Although other potentially at-risk groups were identified, focused efforts to better understand contributing factors to elevated incidence in senior officers and Air Force personnel will help to better mitigate the incidence and effects of sudden hearing loss.