Association between sarcopenia and hearing thresholds in postmenopausal women

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Audiology
• Metabolic Health

Background:

• Sarcopenia is associated with metabolic disturbances, suggesting a potential link with hearing loss (HL).
• Limited research exists on the association between sarcopenia and HL.
• This study investigated the clinical association between sarcopenia and HL in postmenopausal Korean women.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical association between sarcopenia and hearing loss (HL) in postmenopausal Korean women.
• To determine if sarcopenia is an independent risk factor for hearing loss.

Main Methods:

• A total of 4,038 postmenopausal women were included.
• Participants were categorized into normal and sarcopenia groups based on the Foundation for the National Institute of Health Sarcopenia Project criteria.
• Hearing thresholds (Low-Freq, Mid-Freq, High-Freq) and average hearing threshold (AHT) were assessed. Mild HL was defined as AHT 24-40 dB; moderate-to-profound HL as AHT ≥40 dB.

Main Results:

• The sarcopenia group (6.7%) showed significantly higher prevalence of hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and visceral fat area compared to the normal group.
• Higher hsCRP levels and elevated hearing thresholds across all frequencies were observed in the sarcopenia group.
• Sarcopenia was independently associated with both mild and moderate-to-profound hearing loss, with adjusted odds ratios of 1.584 and 2.667, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Sarcopenia is significantly associated with an increased prevalence of hearing loss in postmenopausal Korean women.
• The findings suggest that sarcopenia may be an independent risk factor for hearing loss.
• Screening audiometry is recommended for individuals diagnosed with sarcopenia.