Relationship of cardiovascular disease risk and hearing loss in a clinical population

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Cardiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Hearing loss is increasingly recognized as a potential indicator of cardiovascular health.
• While associations with individual cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors exist, their interplay with overall CVD risk burden in clinical settings remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between hearing loss and the cumulative burden of cardiovascular disease risk factors in a clinical population.
• To explore potential sex-specific differences in these associations.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of electronic health records from 6332 patients.
• Hearing loss defined as pure-tone average (PTA) > 20 dB HL.
• Cardiovascular disease risk factors included diabetes, smoking, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol ≥ 240 mg/dL or statin use).
• Sex-stratified logistic regression adjusted for age, noise exposure, hearing aid use, and body mass index.

Main Results:

• 64.0% of the study population had hearing loss.
• In males, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and having ≥ 2 major CVD risk factors were associated with hearing loss.
• In females, diabetes, smoking, and having ≥ 2 major CVD risk factors were significant risk factors for hearing loss.
• Patients with ≥ 2 major CVD risk factors demonstrated a higher likelihood of hearing loss compared to those with no CVD risk factors.

Conclusions:

• A significant association exists between multiple cardiovascular disease risk factors and hearing loss.
• The findings suggest a potential sex-dependent relationship, particularly concerning hypertension and hearing loss, which requires further research.
• These results underscore the importance of considering cardiovascular health in the context of hearing loss management and vice versa.