The Relationship Between Reduced Glomerular Filtration Rate and Hearing Impairment: A Study Based on Western and...

Objectives: To explore potential strategies for the early detection of renal function impairment, we investigated the association between renal function impairment and hearing loss, as early-stage renal impairment often presents with few clinical manifestations, making it challenging to detect. Methods: We included data including western and eastern population for 3154 participants from the NHANES database in 2009-12 and 2015-18, and for 5958 participants in the Beijing Tongren hospital between January 2019 and January 2023, with a median follow-up of 30.0 months. Then, we comprehensively evaluated the relationship between renal function and hearing impairment, using linear regression, Logistics regression, Cox regression, and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: People with reduced eGFR were more likely to show speech-frequency hearing loss than those with normal eGFR (HR 1.54; 95% CI 1.20-1.97; p < 0.001). People with speech-frequency hearing loss were more likely to have reduced eGFR (HR 1.49; 1.18-1.89; p < 0.001). Hearing acuity in women with reduced eGFR may improve with the amelioration of renal function (OR 1.10; 1.01-1.20; p = 0.037). Conclusions: Renal function examinations may be considered in people with self-perceived or tested hearing loss to detect potential early renal injury. People with reduced eGFR should also place attention on hearing protection, given the observed association. Whether a causal relationship exists between hearing function and eGFR remains to be elucidated through further in-depth studies.