Audiological Profile and Factors Associated With Hearing Impairment Among Adults With Allergic Rhinitis in Tamil Nadu, India: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common chronic inflammatory disorder that can adversely affect both middle and inner ear function through Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) and cochlear involvement. Despite increasing evidence of auditory complications, hearing impairment among adults with AR remains under-recognized in routine clinical practice. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of hearing impairment and identify sociodemographic and clinical factors independently associated with hearing impairment among adults with allergic rhinitis attending a tertiary care centre in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu, India. Materials and methods A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 136 adults with clinically diagnosed allergic rhinitis attending the Otorhinolaryngology outpatient department of a tertiary care medical college and hospital in Tamil Nadu. Audiological assessment included pure-tone audiometry (PTA), tympanometry, and otoacoustic emissions (OAE). Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Descriptive statistics were expressed as frequencies, percentages, and mean ± SD. Independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, paired t-test, Pearson's correlation, and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with hearing impairment. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The mean age of the study participants was 32.51 ± 10.77 years, and 57.4% were female. Abnormal OAE findings, interpreted alongside tympanometry and PTA, were identified in 20 (14.7%) participants, suggesting possible cochlear dysfunction, while 28 (20.6%) had hearing impairment on PTA and 14 (10.3%) demonstrated Type C tympanograms indicating ETD in at least one ear. Mean PTA thresholds increased significantly with age, longer symptom duration, antihistamine use, congested nasal mucosa, abnormal OAE findings, and Type C tympanograms. Septal deviation showed an ear-specific association. In multivariable analysis, female sex was associated with lower odds of hearing impairment, whereas longer symptom duration and previous antihistamine use were associated with higher odds. Age and duration of symptoms also showed significant positive correlations with PTA thresholds. Conclusion Adults with allergic rhinitis demonstrated a considerable burden of audiological abnormalities. Female sex, prolonged symptom duration, and previous antihistamine use were independently associated with hearing impairment in the multivariable model. Routine audiological evaluation using PTA, tympanometry, and OAE should be considered in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis to facilitate early detection and appropriate management of auditory dysfunction.