Background Osteoporosis and hearing impairment are known to be associated, but specific data regarding gender, bone mineral density (BMD) measurement sites, and hearing frequency ranges remain unclear. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between hearing loss and BMD in adults over the age of 50. Additionally, the study sought to determine the frequency ranges of pure tone audiometry (PTA) related to osteoporosis, identify BMD measurement sites, and investigate gender differences.
Methods A total of 1,523 adults (651 men and 872 women) over the age of 50, who participated in a medical health check-up at a university hospital, were included. PTA was conducted to assess hearing, and BMD was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar vertebrae (LV) and femur.
Results In women over the age of 50, a significant association was observed between hearing impairment and osteoporosis (P<0.01), but no such association was found in men. Lumbar BMD (L1–4) in women was significantly associated with hearing loss at 4,000 and 8,000 Hz (both P<0.05), whereas femoral neck and total femur BMD showed no significant relationship. In multiple logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio (OR) between osteoporosis and hearing threshold at 4,000 Hz (OR, 2.078; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.092–3.954) and 8,000 Hz (OR, 2.648; 95% CI, 1.543–4.544) remained statistically significant in women after adjusting for age and other risk factors.
Conclusion In women over the age of 50, low BMD at the LV is significantly associated with hearing impairment, particularly at the high frequencies of 4,000 and 8,000 Hz.
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Korean J Fam Med 2023;44(2):117-123. Published online March 20, 2023
Background Sleep duration is associated with hearing loss, especially presbycusis, which is the most common type of hearing loss; however, there is limited evidence regarding this association among the Korean population. We aimed to determine the relationship between sleep duration and high-frequency hearing loss in Korean adults aged ≥40 years.
Methods We examined 5,547 Korean adults aged ≥40 years who completed audiometric tests and questionnaires regarding sleep duration during the 2010–2012 cycle of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Mild presbycusis was defined as >25 decibels (dB) and <40 dB, whereas moderate-to-severe presbycusis was defined as >40 dB pure tone averages at high frequencies (3,000, 4,000, and 6,000 Hz) for both ears. Additionally, the sleep duration was divided into quartiles. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using multivariable logistic regression after adjusting for covariates.
Results The prevalence of presbycusis in South Korean adults was 62.1%, of which 61.4% showed moderate to severe presbycusis. The incidence of moderate-to-severe, but not mild, presbycusis showed a significant positive correlation with sleep duration.
Conclusion Our findings suggest that sleep duration is associated with the prevalence of presbycusis.
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Background Hearing loss (HL) has been suggested to be associated with impaired microcirculation of the inner ear. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate an association between HL and serum lipid levels.
Methods The study comprised 10,356 Korean adults who participated in the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2012). We defined HL as the average hearing thresholds exceeding 25 dB at predetermined frequency levels by pure tone audiometry. Serum lipid levels were measured using an enzymatic assay. The associations between lipid levels and HL were evaluated using a multiple logistic regression model after adjusting for covariates including age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, smoking status, alcohol, physical activity, educational level, household income, and noise exposure. Stratified analyses were performed to examine the effect of the covariates on the association between lipid levels and HL.
Results The high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level was inversely associated with high-frequency (HF)-HL, with an odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 0.78 (0.64–0.96) for 1-mmol/L increase in the HDL-C level. Neither the triglyceride nor the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was associated with HF-HL. For low-frequency HL, association with any of the serum lipid components was absent. A stratified analysis showed that the inverse association between HDL-C levels and HF-HL was evident (P trend <0.05) in some subjects with specific characteristics such as older age (≥65 years), female sex, non-hypertensive state, and non-regular physical activity. However, a significant interaction between HDL-C levels and all of the stratified variables was absent (P for interaction >0.05).
Conclusion The HDL-C level has a linear inverse association with the risk of HF-HL. Given the known protective role of HDL-C against atherosclerotic changes, this finding seems to support the concept of impaired microcirculation in the inner ear as a mechanism for HF-HL.
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Background We aimed to evaluate the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and hearing loss (HL) in light of noise exposure in Korean middle-aged adults.
Methods Subjects were 10,356 adults (4,509 males, 5,847 females) aged 40–80 years, who completed audiometric tests and laboratory examinations as part of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2010 and 2012. MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program-Third Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP III) and International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Low-frequency HL was defined as pure tone averages >25 decibels (dB) at low frequencies (0.5, 1, and 2 kilohertz [kHz]). High-frequency HL was defined as pure tone averages >25 dB at high frequencies (3, 4, and 6 kHz). Odd ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of MetS associated with each HL type were estimated using multiple logistic regression analysis after adjusting for covariates and taking into consideration sampling weight.
Results Thirty eight point one percent and 28.6% met the MetS by NCEP III and IDF criteria, respectively. Prevalence of HL was 29.3% and 63.9% for low- and high-frequency HL, respectively. MetS defined by NCEP III was associated with higher risk of high-frequency HL (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.05–1.73), while MetS by IDF criteria was not. The interaction by the noise exposure on the MetS and high-frequency HL was not significant (P-interaction=0.100). There was no association between MetS and low-frequency HL, regardless of applied diagnostic criteria for MetS.
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Background Compared with other chronic diseases, hearing loss is generally overlooked from the perspective of disease burden. However, hearing loss is emerging as an important issue in the current society. The objective of this study was to investigate disease burdens and marginal utilities associated with hearing loss and other chronic diseases.
Methods This study analyzed the cross-sectional data of 32,986 participants aged 19 years and older who completed the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys between 2009 and 2013. Additionally, this study used the pure tone audiometric test, European Quality of Life-Five Dimensions Questionnaire, and chronic disease status. The data were analyzed using a multiple linear regression method.
Results The data of 23,297 people who underwent a pure tone audiogram and completed the European Quality of Life-Five Dimensions Questionnaire were used in this analysis. The marginal utility of hearing loss ranked fifth among nine chronic diseases. The estimated loss of quality-adjusted life years associated with hearing loss was -93.69 years per 100,000 people, which is similar to other chronic diseases.
Conclusion This study assessed the marginal utilities and public burdens of hearing loss and eight chronic diseases in a South Korean population. Although the values may vary depending on country and race, this study may provide an indispensable foundation for more detailed studies on hearing loss.
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