Hearing loss and low bone mineral density in premenopausal females

Osteoporosis and osteopenia, characterized by reduced bone mineral density (BMD), particularly affect women during menopause. While research has explored the link between low BMD and hearing loss (HL) in postmenopausal women, understanding this connection in premenopausal women requires further investigation. This study aimed to investigate the association between low BMD and HL in premenopausal women.

Sixty premenopausal women, ages 20 to 54, exhibiting diverse BMD levels, underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for BMD assessment alongside comprehensive audiological assessments. BMD was stratified into two categories: "Healthy" and "Low."

Mild-to-moderate sensorineural HL was identified in the right ear of 26.7% of participants and in the left ear of 36.7% of participants following audiometric evaluation. Chi-square analysis did not establish a statistically significant connection between BMD groups. Comparison of means analysis demonstrated an association between self-perceived hearing difficulty and BMD of the lumbar spine (p < .05).

Findings suggest that reduced BMD may not be associated with objective hearing sensitivity in premenopausal women. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether bone health contributes to auditory changes across the menopausal transition.