The association of sex steroid hormone concentrations with hearing loss: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Hearing loss is the most prevalent sensory disorder worldwide. Several studies have indicated that sex steroid hormone levels may be vital to hearing. Objective We aimed to explore the associations between speech-frequency hearing loss and sex steroid hormones. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis based on 3558 adult participants’ data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2015 to 2016. We defined hearing loss as a pure-tone average (PTA) at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz ≥20 dB in the better ear. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between sex steroid hormones and hearing loss risk. A nomogram model for the risk of hearing loss was constructed. Results There were 560 (15.7%) cases who had hearing loss among the participants enrolled in this study. Participants with hearing loss had a higher total testosterone level and a lower estradiol level. Individuals with estradiol levels in the highest tertile still had lower hearing loss risks than those in the lowest tertile. Nevertheless, the total testosterone level had no influence on the risk of hearing loss. Conclusion Our research indicated that low estradiol concentrations were significantly associated with hearing loss, especially in menopausal women.