Hearing changes and trajectories during the menopausal transition and their association with metabolic factors

Hearing loss is an emerging public health concern, with women typically experiencing deterioration during menopause; however, longitudinal studies across this transition are limited. This study examined hearing changes across the menopausal transition in order to identify distinct patterns of hearing decline from 11 years before to 9 years after the final menstrual period, with the goal of informing strategies for early detection and intervention.

We followed 4448 women aged 42-52 years who underwent regular health exams at the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Total Healthcare Centers (2014-2018) through 2023. Hearing changes were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models across the menopausal transition. Group-based trajectory modeling was applied to assess heterogeneity in hearing deterioration relative to the final menstrual period.

A significant change in average bilateral hearing thresholds was observed across menopausal transition. Hearing change during the menopausal transition varied by obesity, with minimal change in those with obesity and slight improvement in those without during early transition. Group-based trajectory modeling identified two patterns: Group 1 (71.7 %) had stable hearing until the final menstrual period, then declined; Group 2 (28.3 %) showed poorer baseline hearing with a steeper, persistent decline. At baseline, Group 2 exhibited a significantly higher prevalence of overweight/obesity and hyperglycemia than Group 1.

Postmenopausal stages were associated with significant hearing decline in middle-aged women. Furthermore, subgroups with metabolically unhealthy profiles exhibited poorer baseline hearing and a steeper decline in hearing, highlighting the need for appropriate screening and management during the menopausal transition.