Pure-tone Audiometric Testing Research Articles

Noise Induced Hearing Loss Among Sawmill Workers in a Sub-Saharan African Country

Introduction: Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is a permanent sensorineural hearing loss (HL) which affects the quality of life of exposed individuals. Aim: To determine the prevalence of NIHL among sawmill workers at the Timber market and petty traders in Accra, Ghana, and to assess the difference in actual and self-reported HL among the sawmill workers. Methods: This was a comparative study of NIHL among sawmill workers at the Agbogbloshie Timber Market of Accra and petty traders whose work environment was situated remotely from the sawmill. Data was analysed using SPSS version 20.0. Demographic characteristics and pure tone audiometric testing of study participants were analysed and presented as mean±standard deviation, counts and percentages. Independent T-test was used in comparing pure tone hearing thresholds of sawmill workers and petty traders at various frequencies. Results: A total of 120 sawmill workers and 120 petty traders were studied. Sixty-four (53.3%) of the petty traders were females and all the sawmill workers were males. Mean age of the sawmill workers was 41.5±11.8 years. The prevalence of NIHL among the sawmill workers was 37.5% in the right ear and 43.3% in the left ear. Among the petty traders, the prevalence of NIHL was 12.5% in the right ear and 8.3% in the left ear. There was a statistically significant difference in NIHL between the sawmill workers and the petty traders (p-value = 0.0001). The prevalence of HL in the better ear for the sawmill workers and petty traders was 16.7% and 1.7% respectively. Sixty-nine (57.5%) sawmill workers self-reported HL compared to actual HL of 39 (32.5%) which showed a statistically significant difference (p-value = 0.011). Conclusions: The prevalence of NIHL among the sawmill workers was 37.5% and 43.3% in the right and left ears. There was a significant difference between actual and self-reported HL among the sawmill workers.

A study of auditory acuity in patients with essential hypertension using pure tone audiometry

Background: The ability to communicate is a crucial aspect of human life and auditory sense is very important for communication of any kind. It has been hypothesized that hypertension is an independent risk factor for hearing loss is arterial hypertension. It is hypothesised that hypertension causes the degeneration of inner ear due to alteration in microcirculation. This study is undertaken to identify the role of hypertension in auditory acuity. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the association between high blood pressure and hearing function, after excluding the influence of noise pollution on hearing impairment and to see the association of duration of hypertension with hearing impairment, by performing pure tone audiometric tests on normotensives and hypertensives. Materials and Methods: 50 hypertensives visiting Hesaraghatta PHC and 50 normotensives residing in the same area were chosen for the study. After selecting the subjects from appropriate inclusion-exclusion criteria, informed consent was taken. Then blood pressure was measured followed by audiometric assessment for hearing acuity in each using standard guidelines. The results were compiled and statistically analysed. Results: Hypertensives have a higher threshold in all frequencies for both air conduction and bone conduction. Significant P-values were found in both ears for all frequencies in both air conduction and bone conduction in both ears. Thresholds are increased but were within normal limits since cases are on treatment, resulting in mild hypertension. Conclusions: There was a significant increase in hearing thresholds at all frequencies in hypertensives than normotensives. In the current study, no significant correlation was found between duration of hypertension and auditory thresholds.

THE ASSOCIATION OF HEARING LOSS AND FRAILTY AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN THE US

Abstract Frailty is common in older adults and increases the risk of functional limitations and death. Hearing loss affects ~2/3 of older adults in the U.S. and is associated with poorer physical and cognitive function and social isolation, which may increase the risk for frailty. We aimed to determine if hearing loss is associated with higher odds of being frail or pre-frail versus robust and if hearing aid use is protective. We analyzed data from 2,361 participants from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHTAS), a U.S. nationally representative sample of older adults, collected in 2021. Hearing was assessed by pure-tone audiometric testing, and we used a speech-frequency (0.5-4 kHz) better hearing ear’s pure-tone average (BPTA) to categorize participants into no hearing loss (BPTA≤25 dB HL), mild (26-40), and moderate or greater (>40) hearing loss. Physical frailty was categorized according to the presence of the frailty phenotype components (unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, low physical activity, weakness, slow walking speed) into robust (0), pre-frail (1-2), and frail (≥3). In our study population (mean age=81, 56% female, 19% Black), there were 1,724 (73%) participants with hearing loss. Using multinomial logistic regression, we found that participants with moderate or greater hearing loss (vs. those without) had higher odds of being frail versus robust (OR=1.82, 95% CI 1.11, 2.99, p-trend=0.016). Hearing loss may be a risk factor for frailty. Future studies on the impact of hearing interventions in preventing and managing frailty will have significant public health and clinical importance.

Hearing loss can also be seen in patients with nonradiographic axial spondyloarthropathies as well as radiographic axial spondyloarthropathies.

Hearing loss has been described in patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthropathies (R-AxSpA) but has not been studied in patients with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthropathies (NR-AxSpA); accordingly, the aim of the study was to compare hearing loss in patients with NR-AxSpA, R-AxSpA, and healthy individuals. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 68 participants (30 males, 38 females; mean age: 39.8±7.4 years) between March 2021 and March 2022. Of the participants, 16 were patients with NR-AxSpA, 15 were patients with R-AxSpA, and 37 were healthy controls. Disease activity and radiological and audiological features were analyzed. The audiological assessment included pure-tone audiometric tests at octave frequencies of 250 to 8000 Hz and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions. Hearing loss was found in three (8%) in the healthy group, five (31.3%) in the NR-AxSpA group, and 10 (66.7%) in the R-AxSpA group. The chi-square analysis showed a statistical significance (p=0.001). Values of audiometric tests yielded significant differences between the control and R-AxSpA group and also the control and NR-AxSpA group. For the air conduction studies, the statistical significance began at 1000 Hz in the R-AxSpA group. It was found that in the NR-AxSpA group, the statistical difference started in higher frequencies. The bone conduction audiometric studies were similar to air conduction studies. Transient evoked otoacoustic emission studies showed that the R-AxSpA group was significantly affected compared to the control and NR-AxSpA groups. There was no statistical difference between the control and NR-AxSpA groups. Both NR-AxSpA and R-AxSpA patients had hearing loss; however, in pure-tone audiometric tests, the abnormalities began in lower frequencies in the R-AxSpA group than in the NR-AxSpA group.

The longitudinal relationship between hearing loss and cognitive decline in tonal language-speaking older adults in China.

Previous longitudinal studies indicate that hearing loss and cognitive impairment are associated in non-tonal language-speaking older adults. This study aimed to investigate whether there is a longitudinal association between hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults who speak a tonal language. Chinese-speaking older adults aged 60 years and above were recruited for baseline and 12 month follow-up measurements. All participants completed a pure tone audiometric hearing test, Hearing Impaired-Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test (HI-MoCA), and a Computerized Neuropsychological Test Battery (CANTAB). The De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale was used to measure loneliness, and the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to measure aspects of mental health. Associations between baseline hearing loss and various cognitive, mental and psychosocial measures were evaluated using logistic regression. A total of 71 (29.6%) of the participants had normal hearing, 70 (29.2%) had mild hearing loss, and 99 (41.2%) had moderate or severe hearing loss at baseline, based on mean hearing thresholds in the better ear. After adjusting for demographic and other factors, baseline moderate/severe audiometric hearing loss was associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment at follow-up (OR: 2.20, 95% CI: 1.06, 4.50). When pure-tone average (PTA) was modeled continuously, an average difference of 0.24 in HI-MoCA scores for every 10 dB increase in BE4FA existed, and an average difference of 0.07 in the change of HI-MoCA scores in a 12 month period. The results revealed a significant longitudinal relationship between age-related hearing loss and cognitive decline in this cohort of tonal language-speaking older adults. Steps should also be taken to incorporate hearing assessment and cognitive screening in clinical protocols for older adults 60 years and above in both hearing and memory clinics.

Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate and Hearing Impairment in Japan: A Longitudinal Analysis Using Large-Scale Occupational Health Check-Up Data.

Several longitudinal studies have examined associations between renal dysfunction and hearing impairment. Here, we explored the longitudinal association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and hearing impairment among the working-age population in Japan. Participants were 88,425 males and 38,722 females aged 20–59 years, without hearing impairment at baseline (2013), who attended Japanese occupational annual health check-ups from 2013 to 2020 fiscal year. eGFR was categorized into four groups (eGFR upper half of ≥90, lower half of ≥90 (reference), 60–89, and <60 mL/min/1.73 m2). Low- and high-frequency hearing impairment were assessed using data from pure-tone audiometric testing. A Cox proportional hazards model was applied to estimate hazard ratio (HR) values for hearing impairment. Low eGFR did not increase the risk of low- or high-frequency hearing impairment. For males, multivariable-adjusted HR of high-frequency hearing impairment was 1.16 (95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.34) for the upper half of the ≥90 mL/min/1.73 m2; however, this positive association between high eGFR and high-frequency hearing impairment did not appear to be robust in a number of sensitivity analyses. We conclude that, among the Japanese working-age population, eGFR was not generally associated with hearing impairment in people of either sex.

Endoscopic transcanal transtympanic myringoplasty vs. endoscopic transcanal tympanoplasty: 1-year follow-up study.

Endoscopic transcanal transtympanic myringoplasty (ETTM) is a relatively easier technique than endoscopic transcanal tympanoplasty (ETT) for repairing tympanic membrane perforations. No studies have compared the outcomes of these two procedures with tragal perichondrium after 1-year. Furthermore, there is no evidence-based stratification according to variations in perforation size in endoscopic ear surgery. Therefore, we compared the 1-year outcomes of ETTM and ETT stratified according to perforation size. Patients who underwent ETT and ETTM to repair eardrum perforations with a tragal perichondrium graft were identified. Pure-tone audiometric tests and otoscopic examination were performed to assess hearing outcomes and perforation sizes both preoperatively and at least 1 year postoperatively. In total, 158 patients (159 ears) were included. ETT was performed on 83 ears, and ETTM was performed on 76 ears. The ETTM procedure time was 10-minutes shorter than that for ETT ( p < 0.001). Perforation size was significantly correlated with graft take-rate. For large perforations, the ETT success rate was significantly higher than that of ETTM (91.7% vs. 78.9%). Success rates for small-medium perforations were comparable for both methods ( p > 0.05). However, for medium perforations, the graft take-rate of ETT reached a plateau after 6 months, while that of ETTM gradually declined during the 12-month follow-up. Both groups had a comparable mean postoperative air-bone gap gain ( p = 0.666). ETTM is suitable for repairing small perforations, whereas ETT is preferred for large perforations. Both methods, and particularly ETTM, should be employed cautiously for medium perforations.

AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF HEARING THRESHOLDS IN PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS

Introduction: Noise has become a very important stress factor in the environment. Drivers are the most commonly affected persons due to trafc noise. The majority of drivers remain unaware about noise induced hearing loss as this is an insidious process, leading to temporary or permanent hearing impairment, but preventable. Pure Tone audiometric test is used to determine the degree of hearing loss in noise exposed individuals. Aim &amp; Objective: To nd the hearing threshold levels for high and mid frequency sounds for both ears in Professional drivers. To evaluate the preponderance of hearing loss between right and left ear using hearing thresholds. Materials &amp; Methods: This study was conducted in 100 Professional male drivers aged between 30-40 years who are working in Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Madurai. Pure tone audiometry was used to measure the high and mid frequency hearing threshold levels in both ears. Results: The mean (SD) hearing threshold for high and mid frequency sounds was signicantly higher in left ear comparative to right ear with P value &lt; 0.05. The statistically signicant difference in hearing loss was observed between both ears. Conclusion : Our study showed statistically signicant higher hearing threshold for high and mid frequency sounds in left ear compared to right ear, that concludes left ear is more prone for hearing loss than the right ear

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Earplugs in Preventing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in an Auto Parts Factory in China.

A survey was administered to 385 noise-exposed workers from an auto parts factory and 1268 non-noise-exposed health department employees in China. Individual 8 h A-weighted equivalent sound levels (LAeq,8h), earplug personal attenuation ratings (PARs), and pure-tone audiometric tests were performed. The average LAeq,8h of noise-exposed workers was 87 dB (A) with a mean PAR of 7 dB. The prevalence of high-frequency hearing loss was 65% for noise-exposed workers and 33% for the non-noise-exposed employees. The use of earplugs had no observable effect on the prevalence of high-frequency hearing loss of the study participants (OR 0.964, 95% CI 0.925–1.005, p = 0.085). No significant relationship between the effectiveness offered by earplug use and high-frequency hearing thresholds at 3, 4, and 6 kHz was found (t = −1.54, p = 0.125). The mandatory requirement of earplug use without individualized training on how to wear HPDs correctly had no detectable effect on the prevention of hearing loss at the auto parts factory. The hearing conservation program at the surveyed factory was not effective. Periodic hearing tests, earplug fit testing, expanding the offer of different types of hearing protection, and employee education about the importance of protecting their hearing were recommended to the occupational health and safety program.

Disease Related Morbidity and Quality of Life Impairment in Patients with Single Sided Deafness.

Patients with single sided-deafness (SSD) have hearing deficits amounting to a handicap to their everyday quality of life and are likely to suffer serious social challenges. There is a significant gap in the "disability" aspect of SSD in literature. The study was undertaken to compare the quality of life of SSD patients in various domains with normal hearing individuals. 51 patients of SSD with pure sensorineural hearing loss with impaired ear having a pure tone average of more than or equal to 70dB was compared with 50 subjects with normal hearing sensitivity. Pure tone audiometric testing and the english version of Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ) were used to enumerate subjective advantage. Total average SSQ score across domains in patients (6.6 ± 1.2) was significantly poorer in comparison to the control group (8.4 ± 0.9). Based on SSQ, patients with SSD experience hearing disability in comparison to the control group (p < 0.01). The ratings of all the items in the SSQ subdomains were higher in the reference group than in the patient group. Individuals with single sided-deafness experience significant auditory disability in all the three domains of speech, spatial & qualities of hearing. Therefore, these patients should be strongly counselled for currently available treatment options.

Impact of using volumetric dosimetry to screen childhood cancer survivors for radiation-related late effects.

12066 Background: Late effects screening guidelines for survivors of childhood cancer treated with radiation therapy currently use irradiated regions (IR) rather than volumetric dosimetry (VD), which more precisely identifies organs-at-risk (OAR). We recently showed that VD reduced mean number of recommended screening diagnostic imaging studies and procedures by 37.0% per patient (p&lt;0.001).1 Here we have incorporated chemotherapy and refined volumetric dosimetry dose thresholds. Methods: This was a cross-sectional cohort study of patients (n=132) treated for cancer using computerized tomography-planned irradiation at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles from 2000-2016. For each patient, both VD and IR methods were used to determine radiation exposure to the cochlea, heart, lung, breast, and colon. Dose thresholds for VD were based on those supplied in the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines. Relevant chemotherapy exposures were recorded. Under each method, COG Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines were applied to determine potential chemotherapy- and radiation-related late effects and their correlative screening practices (complete audiologic evaluation, pure tone audiometry, mammogram, breast MRI, echocardiogram, pulmonary functions test, and/or colonoscopy). Identified OAR were compared using Exact McNemar’s test. Total numbers of screening practices were computed using VD and IR and compared. Results: Median age at end of treatment was 10.6 years (range 1.4-20.4). The most frequent cancer type was brain tumor (45%), followed by bone and soft tissue tumor (39%) and leukemia/lymphoma (16%). Head/brain was the most commonly irradiated region (61%), followed by abdomen (22%). Anthracyclines were received by 25% of patients at &lt; 250 mg/m2 and by 16% at ≥ 250 mg/m2. With use of VD, fewer patients were flagged for screening for each organ of interest: cochlea (-21.3%, p&lt;0.001), heart (-22.5%, p&lt;0.001), lung (-13.8%, p=0.219), breast (-25%, p=0.625), colon (-51.9%, p&lt;0.001). Over the lifetime of this cohort, use of VD resulted in recommendations for 1,333 fewer pure tone audiometric tests (-21.5%), 9 fewer complete audiologic evaluations (-16.1%), 4 fewer pulmonary function tests (-13.8%), 112 fewer mammograms (-25.0%) and breast MRIs (-25.0%), 349 fewer echocardiograms (-16.1%), and 275 fewer colonoscopies (-51.9%). Conclusions: Use of VD rather than IR significantly reduces guideline-based screening for radiation-related late effects in long-term childhood cancer survivors. This work forms the basis for a comparative cost-effectiveness analysis of these two approaches. (1) Cohen-Cutler et al, Cancer Medicine, 2020.

Association between Hearing Loss and Cognitive Disorder: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

PurposeTo investigate the relationship between hearing loss and cognitive disorder with memory dysfunction in South Korea using data from the Korean Health Insurance claims database for 2009–2015.Materials and MethodsWe analyzed cross-sectional data of 66-year-old individuals who completed the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Auditory function was evaluated using pure-tone audiometric testing. Cognitive disorder with memory dysfunction was assessed using standardized scores of the Prescreening Korean Dementia Screening Questionnaire.ResultsAmong 1815835 participants at the age of 66 years, the prevalence of unilateral hearing loss was 5.84%, and that of bilateral hearing loss was 3.40%. The normal cognitive group comprised 86.35% of the participants, and the high-risk group for cognitive disorder with memory dysfunction totaled 13.65% of the participants. The bilateral hearing loss group had the highest percentage of subjects who responded “sometimes or frequently” to all five questions about cognitive disorder with memory dysfunction, compared to the normal hearing group or the unilateral hearing loss group. After adjusting for sex, smoking status, alcohol intake, exercise, income, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and depression, the odds ratios for cognitive disorder with memory dysfunction was 1.183 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.163–1.203] for bilateral hearing loss and 1.141 (95% CI: 1.126–1.156) for unilateral hearing loss, compared to the normal cognitive group.ConclusionHearing loss has a significant effect on cognitive function in the Korean population. In our study, individuals with bilateral hearing loss showed poorer cognitive function than those with unilateral hearing loss.

Prevalence of tinnitus in a sample of 43,064 children in Warsaw, Poland

Objective Tinnitus affects both adults and children. Children rarely complain spontaneously of tinnitus, and their parents are not aware of the condition. The prevalence of tinnitus in children differs considerably between studies, and large studies are needed to reliably estimate how many children experience tinnitus symptoms. The goal of the study was to estimate the prevalence of tinnitus in a large sample of schoolchildren. Design This study was population-based, epidemiological research, conducted in the general, paediatric population of school-age children in Warsaw, Poland. Pure-tone audiometric testing was done, and hearing thresholds were determined from 0.5 to 8 kHz. Both the children and parents answered questions about the presence of tinnitus in the child. Study sample Results from 43,064 children aged 11 to 13 years old, as well as their parents, were collected. Results The study showed that tinnitus affected 3.1% of the children, but it was significantly more frequent (9%) in children with hearing loss. We found that 1.4% of the parents were aware of the presence of tinnitus in their children. Conclusions Children should be routinely asked whether they experience tinnitus and if so, they should be included in the thorough assessment and management of the condition.

Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Auditory-Vestibular System

Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Auditory-Vestibular System

Discrimination of degrees of auditory performance from the digits-in-noise test based on hearing status

Objective To discriminate among degrees of auditory performance of the Digits-in-Noise (DIN) test. Design We performed Pearson’s correlations and age- and sex-adjusted linear regression models to examine the correlation between pure-tone average (PTA) from pure-tone audiometric tests and speech recognition thresholds (SRT) from the DIN test. Then, optimal SRT cut-points by PTA-defined hearing status (0–25 dB HL [normal], 26–40 dB HL [mild hearing loss], 41–50 dB HL [moderate hearing loss]) were compared across three methods: Youden, Nearest, and Liu. SRT-defined categories of auditory performance were compared to PTA-defined hearing categories to examine the convergence of similar categories. Study Sample: 3422 Rotterdam Study participants aged 51–98 years between 2011 and 2014 Results The correlation between SRT and PTA was 0.65 (95% Confidence Interval: 0.63, 0.67) in the overall sample. The variability of SRT explained by PTA after age and sex adjustment was 54%. Optimal cut-points for the overall sample across the three methods were: ≤ −5.55 dB SNR (normal); > −5.55 to ≤ −3.80 dB SNR (insufficient performance); > −3.80 dB SNR (poor performance). When comparing the SRT- or PTA-defined categories, 59.8% had concordant hearing categories and 40.2% had discordant hearing categories. Conclusions Discrimination of degrees of auditory performance may add greater utility of the DIN test.

Hearing Loss in Agricultural Workers Exposed to Pesticides and Noise.

Agricultural workers who have concurrent exposure to pesticides and noise are at increased risk of hearing loss. We recruited 163 Thai conventional and 172 organic farmers to answer our questionnaires about personal demographics, agricultural activities, and pesticide and agricultural machinery use. This information was used to calculate the years of conventional (pesticide use) farming and the years of agricultural noise exposure, and to estimate semiquantitative metrics for pesticide exposure (cumulative intensity score-years) and cumulative noise exposure (dB(A)-years) for each conventional farmer. All participants underwent pure tone audiometric testing. The mean hearing threshold in the low-frequency band (0.5-2 kHz) and high-frequency band (3-6 kHz) were used for analysis. Years involved in conventional farming and years using agricultural machinery were associated with an increase in the average hearing threshold for the high-frequency band after controlling for age, ever exposed to industrial noise and cigarette smoking. The highest category of cumulative insecticide exposure (score-years), cumulative organophosphates exposure (score-years) and cumulative noise exposure (dB(A)-years) were also associated with an increased high-frequency band hearing threshold among conventional farmers. Results from the full cohort and the subcohort of conventional farmers support each other and the hypothesis that pesticide and noise have an additive effect on hearing, since no model interactions were significant.

Audiometric notch for the prediction of early occupational hearing loss and its association with the interleukin-1beta genotype.

ObjectivesNoise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a frequent and irreversible industrial-health problem, the early diagnosis of which can prevent hearing deterioration, especially of speech frequencies. This study aimed to assess hearing impairment in workers occupationally exposed to noise. Audiometric notches and IL-1β gene polymorphisms were evaluated.MethodsThe study included 98 workers employed in a textile factory. Pure-tone audiometric testing was conducted for all workers, using a manual pure-tone diagnostic audiometer, and the noise level was measured at four different work sites in a spinning section. IL-1β gene polymorphism was determined using PCR-RFLP methods.ResultsWorkers were exposed to a mean noise level of 105.5 dB. As many as 27.6% of them complained of tinnitus and the majority suffered from some degree of hearing loss in either ear, but none of them exceeded 60 dB. Audiometric notches were detected in either one or both ears. Only 28.6% of workers showed the absence of notches. The TT genotype of IL-1β polymorphisms was dominant in 49% of the workers, whereas TC was predominant in 39.8% and CC in 11.2%. The CC genotype was associated with smoking (54.5%) and audiometric notches (100%). The IL-1β genotype distribution showed no significant difference with or without tinnitus.ConclusionThis study showed an association between the CC genotype and smoking as well as audiometric notches in workers occupationally exposed to noise. Workers showing audiometric notches should be followed up regularly. Further studies are required to confirm the interrelationship amongst tinnitus, audiometric notches, and IL-1β genotypes.

Obesity and risk of hearing loss: A prospective cohort study

The existing yet limited prospective studies reported conflicting results about obesity and hearing loss. We investigated the prospective association between obesity and hearing loss in a large-scale Japanese working population, as well as the association between metabolic phenotype and hearing loss. The study included 48,549 employees aged 20-64 years and free of hearing loss at baseline. Pure-tone audiometric testing was performed annually to identify hearing loss at 1 and 4kHz. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to investigate the risk of hearing loss associated with body mass index (BMI) and metabolic phenotype (based on a BMI of ≥25.0/<25.0kg/m2 and presence/absence of ≥2 components of metabolic syndrome, except waist circumference). Baseline and updated information were obtained from annual health checkups. With a median follow-up of 7 years, 1595 and 3625 individuals developed unilateral hearing loss at 1 and 4kHz, respectively. The adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for hearing loss at 1kHz were 1.21 (1.08, 1.36) and 1.66 (1.33, 2.08) for those with BMI 25.0-29.9kg/m2 and BMI ≥30.0kg/m2, respectively, compared to individuals with BMI <25.0kg/m2. For hearing loss at 4kHz, the corresponding HRs were 1.14 (1.05, 1.23) and 1.29 (1.09, 1.52). Compared with metabolically healthy non-obese individuals, the adjusted HRs for hearing loss at 1kHz were 1.19 (1.03, 1.39), 1.27 (1.01, 1.61), and 1.48 (1.25, 1.76) for unhealthy non-obese, healthy obese, and unhealthy obese individuals, respectively. For hearing loss at 4kHz, the corresponding HRs were 1.13 (1.04, 1.25), 1.21 (1.04, 1.41), and 1.26 (1.12, 1.41). Overweight and obesity are associated with an increased risk of hearing loss, and metabolically unhealthy obesity may confer additional risk.

Analysis of influential factors of self-reported hearing loss deviation in young adults

BackgroundHearing loss is becoming more and more common in young adults. Many researches have utilized self-reported hearing conditions only to obtain the morbidity of hearing loss. Therefore, we decided to explore factors contributing to self-reported hearing loss deviation in young Chinese adults and compare the loss with audiometric results.MethodsWe examined the hearing condition of 2195 young adults aged 18–30 years in Zhejiang Province, China using a pure-tone audiometric test. We also collected information on self-reported hearing condition, demographic characteristics, ear problems, living behavior, and hearing health belief through a survey using a structured questionnaire.ResultsWe found that 31.6% of young adults showed inconsistencies between self-reported hearing loss and audiometric results. Age had a positive effect on underestimating hearing loss and a reverse effect on overestimating hearing loss. Being female, having a family history of hearing loss, and perceived severity of hearing health belief were associated with overestimation of hearing loss. Ear problems, such as tinnitus and otalgia, were associated with overestimating hearing loss. A higher frequency of using headphones was negatively associated with underestimating hearing loss [OR 0.491 (0.254–0.948)] and positively correlated with overestimating hearing loss [OR 2.702 (1.947–3.750)]. A higher probability of increasing the volume of headphones in a noisy environment drastically reduced the odds of underestimating hearing loss [OR 0.357 (0.148–0.860)] and made overestimating hearing loss [OR 1.523 (1.141–2.033)] more likely. Young adult smokers were more likely to underestimate hearing loss [OR 2.428 (1.140–5.170)].ConclusionsThese data provide evidence that demographic characteristics, ear problems, living behavior, and hearing health belief contribute to the deviation of self-reported hearing loss in young adults.

Occupational noise-induced hearing loss among dental professionals.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the persistent high-frequency noise produced by dental equipment could cause hearing impairment among the dental professionals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the hearing capacity of 90 randomly selected dental practitioners from different specialties working in the UAE. The participants were approached in their workplace and their hearing capacity was evaluated using the pure tone audiometer. Twenty dental practitioners suffered from hearing impairment, which constitutes 22.2% of the studied sample. At high frequencies, left ears were more affected than right ears, but this was not statistically significant. There was a direct relationship between working hours per week and the hearing capacity, but this did not reach a statistically significant level. The lowest hearing capacity was detected in males at a significantly lower value compared to females. Positive correlation was found between years of experience and reduced hearing capacity among dental practitioners. In addition, males had a significantly higher median count of severely affected hearing frequencies compared to females. Online pure tone audiometric testing is an easy, cost-effective tool that can be used to self-assess the hearing capacity of dental professionals, and it is recommended to perform this test annually.