Jackson Heart Study: Aggregate cardiovascular disease risk and auditory profiles

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the relationship between cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and cochlear function in African Americans. METHODS: Relationships between hearing loss, cochlear function, and CVD risk factors were assessed in a cross‐sectional analysis of 1106 Jackson Heart Study participants. Hearing loss was defined as puretone average (PTA(0.5,1,2,4)) > 15 dB HL. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) were collected for f (2) = 1.0–8.0 kHz. Two amplitude averages were computed: DPOAE(low) (f (2) ≤ 4 kHz) and DPOAE(high) (f (2) ≥ 6 kHz). Based on major CVD risk factors (diabetes, current smoking, total cholesterol ≥240 mg/dL or treatment, and systolic blood pressure [BP]/diastolic BP ≥ 140/≥90 mmHg or treatment), four risk groups were created: 0, 1, 2, and ≥3 risk factors. Logistic regression estimated the odds of hearing loss and absent/reduced DPOAE(low) and DPOAE(high) by CVD risk status adjusting for age, sex, education, BMI, vertigo, and noise exposure. RESULTS: With multivariable adjustment, diabetes was associated with hearing loss (OR = 1.48 [95% CI: 1.04–2.10]). However, there was not a statistically significant relationship between CVD risk factors (individually or for overall risk) and DPOAEs. CONCLUSION: Diabetes was associated with hearing loss. Neither individual CVD risk factors nor overall risk showed a relationship to cochlear dysfunction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2b.