The association between short stature and sensorineural hearing loss.
In order to test the Thrifty Phenotype Hypothesis on hearing, data from two cross-sectional studies on hearing were re-evaluated. The data sets comprised 500 18-year-old conscripts, and 483 noise-exposed male employees. Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) was over-represented among conscripts with a short stature (odds ratio=2.2) or hearing loss in the family (odds ration=4.2), but not among noise-exposed conscripts (odds ratio=0.9-1.3). Among noise-exposed short employees, hypertension and age exhibited a negative impact on high frequency hearing thresholds, while among tall employees hypertension had no effect on hearing and the influence of age was less pronounced (p<0.01 for body height; p<0.02 for age, hypertension and the interaction between body height and hypertension; p<0.05 for the interaction between body height and age). This suggests that mechanisms linked to fetal programming and growth retardation and/or insulin-like growth factor 1 levels during fetal life, such as a delayed cell cycle during the time window when the cochlea develops, may cause SNHL in adulthood.
Barrenäs
Marie-Louise
ML
Göteborg Pediatric Growth Research Centre, Department of Pediatrics, Institute for the Health of Women and Children, University of Göteborg, S416 85 Göteborg, Sweden. marie-louise.barrenas@vgregion.se
Bratthall
Asa
A
Dahlgren
Jovanna
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000196:embryology / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000196:embryology / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010641:Phenotype; D011304:Presbycusis / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors