학술논문
Occupational Noise, Smoking, and a High Body Mass Index are Risk Factors for Age-related Hearing Impairment and Moderate Alcohol Consumption is Protective: A European Population-based Multicenter Study
Document Type
Report
Author
Fransen, Erik; Topsakal, Vedat; Hendrickx, Jan-Jaap; Laer, Lut; Huyghe, Jeroen R.; Eyken, Els; Lemkens, Nele; Hannula, Samuli; Maki-Torkko, Elina; Jensen, Mona; Demeester, Kelly; Tropitzsch, Anke; Bonaconsa, Amanda; Mazzoli, Manuela; Espeso, Angeles; Verbruggen, Katia; Huyghe, Joke; Huygen, Patrick L. M.; Kunst, Sylvia; Manninen, Minna; Diaz-Lacava, Amalia; Steffens, Michael; Wienker, Thomas F.; Pyykko, Ilmari; Cremers, Cor W. R. J.; Kremer, Hannie; Dhooge, Ingeborg; Stephens, Dafydd; Orzan, Eva; Pfister, Markus; Bille, Michael; Parving, Agnete; Sorri, Martti; Heyning, Paul; Camp, Guy
Source
JARO - Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology. Sept, 2008, Vol. 9 Issue 3, p264, 13 p.
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
1525-3961
Abstract
A multicenter study was set up to elucidate the environmental and medical risk factors contributing to age-related hearing impairment (ARHI). Nine subsamples, collected by nine audiological centers across Europe, added up to a total of 4,083 subjects between 53 and 67 years. Audiometric data (pure-tone average [PTA]) were collected and the participants filled out a questionnaire on environmental risk factors and medical history. People with a history of disease that could affect hearing were excluded. PTAs were adjusted for age and sex and tested for association with exposure to risk factors. Noise exposure was associated with a significant loss of hearing at high sound frequencies (>1 kHz). Smoking significantly increased high-frequency hearing loss, and the effect was dose-dependent. The effect of smoking remained significant when accounting for cardiovascular disease events. Taller people had better hearing on average with a more pronounced effect at low sound frequencies (