Objective: To determine the hearing outcomes in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) after exposure to different brands of vaccines against COVID-19. Study Design: Cohort study. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Patients: Patients who met the International Classification of Disease, Tenth Revision code, medications, and procedure criteria for SSNHL in 2021. Patients were classified according to their vaccination status. A total of 128 patients (71 males and 57 females; mean age, 53.9 ± 16.5 yr; range, 7.6–82.1 yr) who met the criteria of idiopathic SSNHL were included. Intervention: Exposure to COVID-19 vaccines in 2021. Main Outcome Measurements: Hearing outcomes were classified according to the pure-tone audiometry hearing level, including complete recovery (CR), partial recovery (PR), and no recovery (NR). Time to recovery was defined as the point at which the patient achieved CR or PR. Results: Among them, 35, 54, and 39 patients achieved CR, PR, and NR, respectively. The median time to recovery was 22 (interquartile range, 11–37) days. No significant differences were observed in hearing recovery in vaccinated or unvaccinated patients. Conclusion: Our preliminary study failed to show significant differences in hearing recovery among patients with SSNHL regardless of the vaccine exposure status. The administration of COVID-19 vaccines should not be influenced by their potential association with SSNHL, as our findings indicate no significant effect on hearing outcomes. However, as a preliminary study with limited statistical power, future large-scale studies are necessary to validate these results.

Pei-Lin Lee serves as Clinical Associate Professor, School of Medicine, National Taiwan University; Consultant, Center of Sleep Disorder, National Taiwan University Hospital. Her current academic positions at international sleep societies include American Academy of Sleep Medicine Fellow and Co-Chair International Assembly; Asian Society of Sleep Medicine, Sleep Medicine Education Task Force committee member. Her current research focuses on the era of new technology and big data in sleep medicine; and intervention on sleep and metabolism in sleep disordered breathing.