The role of chronic inflammation duration in age-related hearing loss: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the associations of the presence, duration, and co-occurrence of chronic inflammatory diseases with age-related hearing loss.

METHODS

This cross-sectional investigation included 583 subjects aged over 60 years. The participants were divided into two categories: healthy cohort (Group H, n = 65) and inflammation cohort (Group I, n = 518). Group I was defined by the presence of at least one chronic inflammatory condition. Participants' smoking history was gathered and evaluated as a possible confounding factor. Hearing assessments were conducted using extended high-frequency audiometry, measuring thresholds from 125-18000 Hz. To analyze the association between hearing thresholds and inflammation duration, regression analysis was employed, with age as a controlled variable.

RESULTS

Participants in Group I demonstrated significantly elevated hearing thresholds at extended high frequencies compared to those in Group H (p < 0.05). The duration of chronic inflammatory diseases was significantly associated with elevated hearing thresholds at high frequencies (4000, 8000, 10000, and 12500 Hz) (p < 0.05) regardless of age. The presence of co-occurring inflammatory conditions did not show a significant impact on hearing thresholds.

CONCLUSION

The impact of aging on hearing thresholds, particularly at higher frequencies, appears to be more pronounced in individuals with longer durations of chronic inflammatory conditions.