Table 1 General Characteristics of Participants.

From: Air pollution increases the risk of SSNHL: A nested case-control study using meteorological data and national sample cohort data

Characteristics

Total participants

Sudden sensory neural hearing loss

Control group

P-value

Age (years old, n, %)

  

1.000

5–9

27 (0.5)

108 (0.5)

 

10–14

65 (1.3)

230 (1.3)

 

15–19

138 (2.7)

552 (2.7)

 

20–24

149 (2.9)

596 (2.9)

 

25–29

254 (4.9)

1,016 (4.9)

 

30–34

304 (5.8)

1,216 (5.8)

 

35–39

413 (7.9)

1,652 (7.9)

 

40–44

480 (9.2)

1,920 (9.2)

 

45–49

529 (10.2)

2,116 (10.2)

 

50–54

642 (12.3)

2,568 (12.3)

 

55–59

599 (11.5)

2,396 (11.5)

 

30–64

511 (9.8)

2,044 (9.8)

 

65–69

461 (8.9)

1,844 (8.9)

 

70–74

342 (6.6)

1,368 (6.6)

 

75–79

187 (3.6)

748 (3.6)

 

80–84

69 (1.3)

276 (1.3)

 

85+

30 (0.6)

120 (0.6)

 

Sex (n, %)

  

1.000

Male

2,304 (44.3)

9,216 (44.3)

 

Female

2,896 (55.7)

11,584 (55.7)

 

Income (n, %)

  

1.000

1 (lowest)

88 (1.7)

352 (1.7)

 

2

346 (6.7)

1,384 (6.7)

 

3

310 (6.0)

1,240 (6.0)

 

4

337 (6.5)

1,348 (6.5)

 

5

325 (6.3)

1,300 (6.3)

 

6

437 (8.4)

1,748 (8.4)

 

7

459 (8.8)

1,836 (8.8)

 

8

542 (10.4)

2,168 (10.4)

 

9

620 (11.9)

2,480 (11.9)

 

10

835 (16.1)

3,340 (16.1)

 

11 (highest)

901 (17.3)

3,304 (17.3)

 

Region of residence (n, %)

2,430 (46.7)

9,720 (46.7)

1.000

Hypertension (n, %)

1,930 (37.1)

7,720 (37.1)

1.000

Diabetes (n, %)

1,139 (21.9)

4,556 (21.9)

1.000

Dyslipidemia (n, %)

1,636 (31.5)

6,544 (31.5)

1.000

Daily mean temperature for 14 days (°C, mean, SD)

13.0 (9.7)

13.1 (9.6)

0.821

Daily highest temperature for 14 days (°C, mean, SD)

18.2 (9.5)

18.2 (9.4)

0.946

Daily lowest temperature for 14 days (°C, mean, SD)

8.6 (10.1)

8.7 (10.1)

0.804

Daily temperature difference for 14 days (°C, mean, SD)

9.6 (2.3)

9.6 (2.3)

0.417

Relative humidity for 14 days (%, mean, SD)

65.6 (10.6)

65.8 (10.6)

0.467

Ambient atmospheric pressure for 14 days (hPa, mean, SD)

1006.3 (7.5)

1006.1 (7.6)

0.078

SO2 for 14 days (ppb, mean, SD)

5.5 (1.9)

5.5 (2.0)

0.851

NO2 for 14 days (ppb, mean, SD)

24.9 (8.8)

24.1 (8.6)

<0.001*

O3 for 14 days (ppb, mean, SD)

23.1 (8.7)

23.4 (8.7)

0.021*

CO for 14 days (ppm, mean, SD)

0.566 (0.181)

0.562 (0.186)

0.148

PM10 for 14 days (μg/m3, mean, SD)

52.4 (18.1)

52.1 (18.1)

0.209

  1. SD: standard deviation.
  2. ppb: Parts per billion.
  3. ppm: Part per million ( = 1,000 ppb).
  4. *Chi-square test or independent t-test, significance at P < 0.05.