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Assessing the impact of apnea duration on the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and hearing loss
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Objectives:
The relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and hearing loss (HL) remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between OSA and HL, and to identify which factors play a key role.
Methods:
A retrospective review was conducted of 90 subjects diagnosed with OSA. These subjects underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG) and pure-tone audiometry at a single institution from February 2014 to November 2023. Hearing evaluations involved the comparison of OSA subjects with a non-OSA group, identified through national data utilizing the STOP-BANG questionnaire (SBQ) and age-sex 1:1 matching. Subsequently, individuals with OSA were categorized into HL and non-HL groups. Comparisons were made to ascertain differences in PSG parameters, followed by regression analysis to assess their actual impact.
Results:
The OSA group exhibited elevated hearing thresholds across all frequencies compared to the non-OSA group. Furthermore, classification of OSA subjects into the HL and non-HL groups revealed a statistically significant increase in apnea duration in the HL group for all-frequency and high-frequency cases (p = 0.038, 0.006). Multiple linear regression analysis, adjusting for age and sex, revealed a significant influence of apnea duration on HL in both all-frequency and high-frequency cases (ß = 0.404, p = 0.002; ß = 0.425, p = 0.001).
Conclusion:
These findings underscore the significant association between OSA and reduced auditory function, with apnea duration standing out as a crucial factor contributing to hearing loss. Our results suggest that prolonged apnea duration may be a marker of chronic hypoxic damage in patients with OSA, further clarifying its potential role in the development of hearing loss.
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