Comorbidity Patterns Between Hearing Loss and Symptomatic Dizziness in Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the comorbidity patterns between hearing loss and symptomatic dizziness (HL-SD) in middle-aged and older adults.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used data from the 1999 to 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). After excluding incomplete data, 2961 participants aged 40-69 were analyzed. Logistic regression models, restricted cubic splines (RCS), and subgroup analyses assessed the association between hearing thresholds and dizziness. Univariate and multivariate logistic models and LASSO regression identified risk factors related to HL-SD. Propensity score matching (PSM) evaluated the correlation between hearing loss and dizziness treatment efficacy.

RESULTS

Among participants, 28.67% had hearing loss, and 22.99% reported dizziness, with 8.00% experiencing both. Increased hearing thresholds were significantly associated with a higher risk of dizziness, with each 1 dB increase in speech-frequency PTA increasing dizziness risk by 1.6%. Various factors, including gender, income, arthritis, and diabetes, were linked to the comorbidity of HL-SD. However, hearing loss did not significantly affect dizziness treatment outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Hearing loss is significantly associated with an increased risk of symptomatic dizziness in middle-aged and older adults, influenced by various factors. However, it does not appear to affect dizziness treatment efficacy.