Hearing loss and ischemic heart disease.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Otolaryngology
• Genetics

Background:

• Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
• Hearing loss (HL) is a common condition with various etiologies.
• The relationship between HL and cardiovascular disease requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between hearing loss and ischemic heart disease.
• To determine if hearing loss can serve as an early marker for IHD.
• To explore potential shared risk factors or etiological pathways.

Main Methods:

• Comparative study design involving patients with IHD, organic heart disease (OHD), and healthy controls.
• Assessment of hearing loss (degree, cause, duration) in all participant groups.
• Statistical analysis, including logistic regression, to evaluate the association between HL and IHD, controlling for potential confounders.

Main Results:

• A significantly higher prevalence of hearing loss was observed in patients with IHD (34/103) compared to controls (12/101) and OHD (4/29).
• Among patients with hearing loss and no other identifiable cause, those with IHD were significantly more likely to have IHD than controls (19/34 vs. 4/12).
• Logistic regression indicated an eightfold increased probability of IHD in individuals with unexplained hearing loss compared to those with normal hearing.

Conclusions:

• Hearing loss, particularly when of unknown etiology, is strongly associated with ischemic heart disease.
• Hearing loss may serve as an early, preclinical marker for underlying generalized arteriosclerotic or vascular processes.
• The findings suggest a potential heredofamilial link in some cases, warranting further research into shared genetic factors.