The impact of cardiovascular diseases on hearing deterioration: a 13-year follow-up study

Abstract

Objective

To study the impact of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) on hearing deterioration among ageing adults in a longitudinal setting. Furthermore, to describe the pure tone threshold changes at the 0.125–8 kHz frequency range over 13 years.

Design

A population-based follow-up study.

Study sample

A random sample of 850 adults, of whom 559 participated in the follow-up study. Otological examination, a structured interview, and pure tone audiometry were conducted. Multivariate regression models were used to estimate the effect of CVD (participants had at least one cardiovascular condition) on hearing deterioration of the better ear hearing level (BEHL), defined as a change in the pure-tone average (PTA) of the frequencies 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz and separately at the lower (0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 kHz) and higher (4, 6, and 8 kHz) frequencies.

Results

In the multivariable-adjusted analysis, the BEHL change at 13 years was 0.7 dB greater among participants with CVD (p = 0.3). The mean BEHL change during the 13-year follow-up was 12.0 dB (95% CI 11.4–12.6) among all participants.

Conclusions

No significant association between CVD and hearing threshold changes was found.

Keywords:

• Hearing loss
• hearing impairment
• presbyacusis
• adult
• hearing thresholds
• risk factor

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all the study participants. We would like to thank the audiological assistants who were working for this project and the staff of the Hearing Centre at Oulu University Hospital.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. All responsibility for the content and writing of the paper is taken by the authors alone.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Finnish State Research funding and grants from the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation, the Finnish Society of Audiology and the Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation.