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Does inflammation mediate the association between obesity and hearing status in mid-childhood and mid-life?

Jing Wang1,2, Mengjiao Liu1,2,3,4, Valerie Sung1,2,5

  • 1Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia.

International Journal of Obesity (2005)
|February 27, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Inflammation may link obesity to hearing loss, especially in children. This study reveals how inflammatory biomarkers like GlycA mediate this connection, offering insights for prevention.

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Science
  • Public Health
  • Audiology

Background:

  • Obesity is associated with increased inflammation and hearing loss.
  • The mediating role of inflammation in the obesity-hearing loss relationship is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if inflammation mediates the association between obesity and hearing ability in children and adults.
  • To explore the role of specific inflammatory biomarkers, Glycoprotein A (GlycA) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP).

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 1165 children and 1316 parents.
  • Assessed adiposity (BMI, waist-to-height ratio, fat mass index), inflammatory biomarkers (GlycA, hsCRP), and hearing thresholds (high Fletcher Index).
  • Utilized causal mediation analysis to determine indirect effects of obesity on hearing via inflammation.

Main Results:

  • Obesity was associated with higher hearing thresholds in both adults and children.
  • Glycoprotein A (GlycA) significantly mediated the effect of obesity on hearing loss, accounting for 40% in adults and 67% in children.
  • hsCRP also showed mediation effects, though less pronounced than GlycA.

Conclusions:

  • Inflammation, particularly via GlycA, plays a significant mediating role in the hearing reductions associated with obesity.
  • Findings suggest potential mechanisms for obesity-related hearing loss and inform early prevention strategies.
Abstract

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