title: A population-based study of the association between dysglycaemia and hearing loss in middle age.
abstract: To investigate the independent associations between hearing loss and dysglycaemia in a sample of middle-aged adults, including separate analysis of those aged < 60 years.
  
  
  
  The first 2023 participants in the cross-sectional Busselton Health Ageing Survey were assessed for hearing loss ≥ 26 dB (better ear) for four-frequency average (4FA) of pure-tone thresholds at 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz, and high-frequency average (HFA) of pure-tone thresholds at 4000 and 8000 Hz.
  
  
  
  Valid data from 1864 participants in the Busselton Health Ageing Survey [92.1%; mean ± sd age 56.2 ± 5.5 years, 46.0% men, 120 (7.0%) with diabetes, 274 (14.7%) with prediabetes] were analysed, of whom 103 (5.5%) had four-frequency average hearing loss and 561 (30.1%) had high-frequency average hearing loss. In multivariable analyses, glycaemic status was not independently associated with four-frequency or high-frequency average hearing loss. In the 1286 participants aged < 60 years, there was no relationship between dysglycaemia and high-frequency average hearing loss, but the prevalence of four-frequency average hearing loss increased from 2.3% (95% CI 1.5-3.4) in participants with normoglycaemia to 5.7% (95% CI 3.0-10.6) in those with prediabetes and 10.2% (4.2-21.5) in those with diabetes (trend P = 0.003). In multivariable analysis with normoglycaemia as reference, the odds ratios for four-frequency average hearing loss were 2.84 (95% CI 1.29-6.27) for prediabetes and 5.93 (95% CI 1.67-21.05) for diabetes (P ≤ 0.01) in the < 60 year age group.
  
  
  
  There was progressively increasing mid-range hearing loss with worsening glucose tolerance in younger individuals, suggesting dysglycaemia-associated early-onset presbycusis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.|Ear Science Institute Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.|Ear Sciences Centre, School of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.affiliation: Ear Science Institute Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.|Ear Sciences Centre, School of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Brennan-Jones
authors.affiliation: Ear Science Institute Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.|Ear Sciences Centre, School of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.|Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Eikelboom
authors.affiliation: Busselton Population Medical Research Institute, Busselton, Western Australia, Australia.|School of Population Health, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Fremantle Hospital, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: Ear Science Institute Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.|Ear Sciences Centre, School of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia.|Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Atlas
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Fremantle Hospital, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: T M E
authors.initials: TME
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D044882:Glucose Metabolism Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011304:Presbycusis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose