Hearing Loss and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Profiles: Data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Audiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Individual cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors (RFs) are known to be associated with hearing loss (HL).
• The impact of aggregate CVD risk burden on hearing has not been well-studied, especially in Hispanic/Latino populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the cumulative burden of cardiovascular disease risk factors and hearing loss.
• To characterize these associations specifically within the Hispanic/Latino community.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 12,766 Hispanic/Latino participants aged 18-74.
• Hearing loss defined as pure-tone average > 25 dB HL across key frequencies.
• CVD risk burden assessed using optimal and major risk factor definitions, analyzed via multivariable logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Elevated blood pressure was linked to hearing loss in younger females (<45 years).
• Diabetes and smoking were associated with hearing loss in older females (≥45 years).
• Older females (≥45 years) with multiple risk factors showed higher odds of hearing loss compared to those with optimal risk.

Conclusions:

• Hearing loss is associated with specific cardiovascular risk factors, varying by age and sex in the Hispanic/Latino population.
• Findings highlight elevated blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking as key contributors to hearing loss in different demographic subgroups.
• Further research is recommended to explore the link between these factors and the incidence of hearing loss.