Metabolic syndrome is associated with hearing loss among a middle-aged and older Chinese population: a cross-sectional study
Creators: name: Han, Xu
name: Wang, Zhichao
name: Wang, Jing
name: Li, Yaru
name: Hu, Hua
name: Hu, Yujuan
name: Zhao, Xueyan
name: Zhan, Yue
name: Yuan, Jing
name: Wei, Sheng
name: Liang, Yuan
name: Zhang, Xiaomin
name: Guo, Huan
name: Yang, Handong
name: Wu, Tangchun
name: Kong, Weijia
name: He, Meian
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2019
Subjects: subject: Biochemistry
subject: Medicine
subject: Genetics
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Physiology
subject: Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Inorganic Chemistry
subject: FOS: Chemical sciences
subject: Science Policy
subject: Computational Biology

description: <b>Background:</b> Although the association of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and hearing loss has been evaluated, findings are controversial. This study investigated this association in a Chinese population. <b>Methods:</b> A cross-sectional study including a total of 18,824 middle-aged and older participants from the Dongfeng-Tongji Cohort study was conducted. Hearing loss was defined as the pure-tone average (PTA) of frequencies 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 kHz &gt;25 decibels hearing level (dB HL) in the better ear and graded as mild (PTA 26–40 dB HL), moderate (PTA &gt;40 to ≤60 dB HL), and severe (PTA &gt;60 dB HL). MetS was defined according to the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) criteria of 2005. Association analysis was performed by logistic regression. <b>Results:</b> After adjustment for potential confounders, participants with MetS showed higher OR of hearing loss (OR, 1.11; 95% CI: 1.03–1.19). The MetS components including central obesity (OR, 1.07; 95% CI: 1.01–1.15) and hyperglycemia (OR, 1.12; 95% CI: 1.04–1.20) were also positively associated with hearing loss. Low HDL-C levels were also associated with higher OR of moderate/severe hearing loss (OR, 1.21; 95% CI: 1.07–1.36). <b>Conclusions:</b> The MetS, including its components central obesity, hyperglycemia, and low HDL-C levels were positively associated with hearing loss.Key messagesStudies indicated that cardiovascular disease and diabetes might be risk factors of hearing loss. However, few efforts have been made to establish a direct relationship between metabolic syndrome and hearing loss, especially in Chinese population.In the present study, a cross-sectional design using data from the Dongfeng-Tongji Cohort study was conducted to assess the association between metabolic syndrome and hearing loss.The metabolic syndrome, as well as its components central obesity, hyperglycemia, and low HDL-C levels were positively associated with hearing loss. Studies indicated that cardiovascular disease and diabetes might be risk factors of hearing loss. However, few efforts have been made to establish a direct relationship between metabolic syndrome and hearing loss, especially in Chinese population. In the present study, a cross-sectional design using data from the Dongfeng-Tongji Cohort study was conducted to assess the association between metabolic syndrome and hearing loss. The metabolic syndrome, as well as its components central obesity, hyperglycemia, and low HDL-C levels were positively associated with hearing loss.