title: Association of plasma adiponectin levels with hearing thresholds in adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity is an independent risk factor for age-related hearing impairment. Adiponectin is one of the major adipocytokines secreted by adipose tissue. The aim of our study was to examine whether there is an association between plasma adiponectin concentrations and hearing sensitivity in adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 954 adults aged 40-86 years, with normal or symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss and normal cognitive function. Backward stepwise multivariate linear regression was performed to assess the association between plasma adiponectin concentrations and hearing level Z-scores. Further, backward stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the risk of hearing impairment by plasma adiponectin concentration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adiponectin concentrations were lower, and waist circumference (WC) was higher in subjects with Z-high in the upper 50% of Z-high. Z-high (correlation coefficient: β = -0·02; standard error [SE] = 0·01; P = 0·003), but not Z-middle or Z-low, was significantly associated with plasma adiponectin concentrations after adjusting for WC, systemic diseases, smoking and alcohol consumption. The risk of hearing impairment for high frequencies, but not low or middle frequencies, decreased by 0·97-fold (odds ratio ± SE = 0·97 ± 0·02, P = 0·048, 95% confidence interval = 0·93-1·00) for every 1-unit increase in adiponectin concentration, after adjusting for age, gender, WC, systemic diseases, smoking and alcohol consumption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma adiponectin may protect peripheral hearing function, particularly that related to high frequencies. Adiponectin may be a mediator of obesity-associated, age-related hearing impairment.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Juen-Haur
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Chuan-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Tien-Chen
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei-Shiung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin