Change in and long-term investigation of neuro-otologic disorders in disaster-stricken Fukushima prefecture: retrospective cohort study before and after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Jun Hasegawa,Toshimitsu Kobayashi,Taku Obara,Hiroshi Hidaka,Yutaka Tateda,Ken Hashimoto,Yukio Katori,Shinichi Kuriyama,Yuri Okumura,Toshiyuki Ojima

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0122631

Abstract

On March 11, 2011, Japan’s northeast Pacific coast was hit by a gigantic earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Soma City in Fukushima Prefecture is situated approximately 44 km north of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Soma General Hospital is the only hospital in Soma City that provides full-time otolaryngological medical care. We investigated the changes in new patients from one year before to three years after the disaster. We investigated 18,167 new patients treated at our department during the four years from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2014. Of the new patients, we categorized the diagnoses into Meniere’s disease, acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss, vertigo, sudden deafness, tinnitus, and facial palsy as neuro-otologic symptoms. We also investigated the changes in the numbers of patients whom we examined at that time concerning other otolaryngological disorders, including epistaxis, infectious diseases of the laryngopharynx, and allergic rhinitis. The total number of new patients did not change remarkably on a year-to-year basis. Conversely, cases of vertigo, Meniere’s disease, and acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss increased in number immediately after the disaster, reaching a plateau in the second year and slightly decreasing in the third year. Specifically, 4.8% of patients suffering from these neuro-otologic diseases had complications from depression and other mental diseases. With regard to new patients in our department, there was no apparent increase in the number of patients suffering from diseases other than neuro-otologic diseases, including epistaxis, and allergic rhinitis. Patients suffering from vertigo and/or dizziness increased during the first few years after the disaster. These results are attributed to the continuing stress and tension of the inhabitants. This investigation of those living in the disaster area highlights the need for long-term support.

Highlights

On March 11, 2011, Japan’s northeast Pacific coast was hit by a sudden, gigantic earthquake and subsequent tsunami
We investigated 18,167 new patients that were treated at Soma General Hospital during the four years from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2014
We categorized the diagnosis of each case whose major complaints were neuro-otologic symptoms as follows: 1. Meniere's disease (MD): the cases where, together with vertigo, there was a threshold increase of bone and air conductions by 125–500 Hz in either or both of the ears in the doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0122631.g001

Summary

Introduction

On March 11, 2011, Japan’s northeast Pacific coast was hit by a sudden, gigantic earthquake and subsequent tsunami. 20,000 people were killed or are still presumed missing [1]. In Fukushima Prefecture, the resultant accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant forced approximately 160,000 inhabitants to abandon their land and homes, and evacuate to other areas. Three years later, these evacuees still live as refugees far from their homes. Activities including fishing, agriculture, and farming have been limited, and many companies have been forced to stop or reduce their business operations. The anxiety and stress of the evacuees is immeasurable

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