title: Cigarette smoking, passive smoking, alcohol consumption, and hearing loss.
abstract: The objective of this large population-based cross-sectional study was to evaluate the association between smoking, passive smoking, alcohol consumption, and hearing loss. The study sample was a subset of the UK Biobank Resource, 164,770 adults aged between 40 and 69 years who completed a speech-in-noise hearing test (the Digit Triplet Test). Hearing loss was defined as speech recognition in noise in the better ear poorer than 2 standard deviations below the mean with reference to young normally hearing listeners. In multiple logistic regression controlling for potential confounders, current smokers were more likely to have a hearing loss than non-smokers (odds ratio (OR) 1.15, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.09-1.21). Among non-smokers, those who reported passive exposure to tobacco smoke were more likely to have a hearing loss (OR 1.28, 95 %CI 1.21-1.35). For both smoking and passive smoking, there was evidence of a dose-response effect. Those who consume alcohol were less likely to have a hearing loss than lifetime teetotalers. The association was similar across three levels of consumption by volume of alcohol (lightest 25 %, OR 0.61, 95 %CI 0.57-0.65; middle 50 % OR 0.62, 95 %CI 0.58-0.66; heaviest 25 % OR 0.65, 95 %CI 0.61-0.70). The results suggest that lifestyle factors may moderate the risk of hearing loss. Alcohol consumption was associated with a protective effect. Quitting or reducing smoking and avoiding passive exposure to tobacco smoke may also help prevent or moderate age-related hearing loss.
authors.affiliation: HCD Office, School of Psychological Sciences, Ellen Wilkinson Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PL, Manchester, UK, piers.dawes@manchester.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Piers
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dawes
authors.forename: Karen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Cruickshanks
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Edmondson-Jones
authors.forename: Abby
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fortnum
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Munro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution