Background Individual cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors (RFs) have been associated with hearing loss (HL). The relationship to aggregate risk is poorly understood and has not been explored in the Hispanic/Latino population.

Purpose The aim of this study was to characterize the association between aggregate CVD RF burden and hearing among Hispanics/Latinos.

Research Design Cross-sectional examination.

Study Sample Participants (18–74 years; n = 12,766) in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

Data Collection and Analysis Thresholds (0.5–8 kHz) were obtained, and HL was defined dichotomously as pure-tone average (PTA0.5,1, 2,4) > 25 dB HL. Optimal CVD risk burden was defined as follows: systolic blood pressure (SBP) < 120 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) < 80 mm Hg; total cholesterol < 180 mg/dL; nonsmoking; and no diabetes. Major CVD RFs were diabetes, currently smoking, SBP >160 or DBP > 100 mm Hg (or antihypertensives), and total cholesterol > 240 mg/dL (or statins). Thresholds were estimated by age (18–44 and ≥45 years) and sex using linear regression. The association between CVD risk burden and HL was assessed using multivariable logistic regression. Models were adjusted for age, sex, Hispanic/Latino background, center, education, income, alcohol use, body mass index, and noise exposure.

Results In the target population, 53.03% were female and 18.81% and 8.52% had all RFs optimal and ≥2 major RFs, respectively. Elevated BP (SBP 120–139 mm Hg or DBP 80–89 mm Hg) was associated with HL in females < 45 years (odds ratio [OR], 2.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14–4.16). Diabetes (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.01–1.84) and tobacco smoking (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.03–2.01) were associated with HL in females ≥ 45 years. The odds of HL were higher for females ≥ 45 years with ≥2 RFs versus those with all RFs optimal (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.12–3.53). Elevated BP (SBP 140–159 mm Hg or DBP 90–99 mm Hg), but not aggregate risk burden, was associated with HL in males ≥ 45 years (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.02–2.19). No relationships with major CVD RFs were significant in males < 45 years.

Conclusions HL is associated with elevated BP in females < 45 years, with diabetes and hypertension in males ≥ 45 years, and with diabetes, smoking, and having ≥2 major CVD RFs in females ≥ 45 years. Future studies are needed to examine if these factors are associated with incident HL.

aPortions of this work were presented at the American Heart Association | Epidemiology Lifestyle Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana (March 2018)

Received: 30 November 2021

Accepted: 16 September 2022

Article published online:
13 September 2024

© 2024. American Academy of Audiology. This article is published by Thieme.

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