A Prospective Study of Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Incident Hearing Loss in Men

Abstract

Objective-Hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder in the US, afflicting over 36 million people. Cardiovascular risk factors have been associated with hearing loss risk in crosssectional studies, but prospective data are currently lacking.Methods-We prospectively evaluated the association between diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, smoking and body mass index (BMI) and incidence of hearing loss. Participants were 26,917 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, aged 40-74 years at baseline in 1986. Study participants completed questionnaires about lifestyle and medical history every two years.Information on self-reported professionally diagnosed hearing loss and year of diagnosis was obtained from the 2004 questionnaire, and cases were defined as hearing loss diagnosed between 1986 and 2004. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression models.Results-3,488 cases of hearing loss were identified. History of hypertension (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.88-1.03), diabetes mellitus (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.78-1.08), or obesity (HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.90-1.15 for BMI≥30 compared to normal range of 19-24.9) was not significantly associated with hearing loss risk, while hypercholesterolemia (HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.02-1.18) and past smoking history (HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01-1.17) were associated with a significantly increased risk of hearing loss after multivariate adjustment.Conclusion-A history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or obesity is not associated with increased risk of hearing loss, while a history of past smoking or hypercholesterolemia has a small but statistically significant association with increased risk of hearing loss in adult males.

Hypertension is associated with dysfunction of both peripheral and central auditory system

“…Some of the tonal audiometry studies demonstrate that AH patients present slowly progressive symmetrical sensorineural highfrequency hearing loss [5][6][7][8]. However, other authors deny worse cochlear function in patients with hypertension [19,20] or regard hypertension as a weak risk factor [21]. Interestingly, Agrawal et al [21] have shown that hypertensive patients present hearing loss only in the range of 1 kHz.…”

Relationship between obesity and hearing loss

“…A study of adolescents aged 12-19 years found a relationship between obesity and higher hearing thresholds at all frequencies [6]. Other studies, however, have found no association between obesity and increasing risk of hearing loss [7]. Thus, the relationship between obesity and hearing may be dependent on the age and gender of the subjects, the number of subjects analyzed, and study method.…”

Laboratory assessment of sudden sensorineural hearing loss: A case‐control study

“…In a recent meta‐analysis of 23 studies on SSHL, the suspected etiologies detected were infections (12.8%), otologic diseases (4.7%), trauma (4.2%), vascular and hematological problems (2.8%), and neoplastic diseases (2.3%) . Although SSHL is currently assumed as multicausal, recent studies have proposed vascular occlusion as the main process responsible for neurosensorial damage in the inner ear . In some aspects, the clinical presentation of unilateral SSHL is comparable to an ischemic vascular disease such as myocardial infarction, transient ischemic attacks, or amaurosis fugax .…”