Accessibility issues or difficulties with this website?
Call 919-962-2073 or email hchsadministration@unc.edu.

Sleep Apnea Is Associated with Hearing Impairment: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

TitleSleep Apnea Is Associated with Hearing Impairment: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.
Publication TypePublication
Year2016
AuthorsChopra A, Jung M, Kaplan RC, Appel DW, Dinces EA, Dhar S, Zee PC, Gonzalez F, Lee DJ, Ramos AR, Hoffman HJ, Redline S, Cruickshanks KJ, Shah NA
JournalJ Clin Sleep Med
Volume12
Issue5
Pagination719-26
Date Published2016 May 15
ISSN1550-9397
KeywordsAdolescent, Adult, Aged, Female, Hearing Loss, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Polysomnography, Risk Factors, Sleep Apnea Syndromes, United States, Urban Population, Young Adult
Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Sleep apnea (SA) may promote hearing impairment (HI) through ischemia and inflammation of the cochlea. Our objective was to assess an independent association between SA and HI in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) participants.METHODS: We used data from the HCHS/SOL, a multicenter population-based study of self- identifying Hispanic/Latinos 18- to 74-y-old adults from four US urban communities. We performed home SA testing and in-clinic audiometry testing in all participants. SA was defined as an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 15 events/h. HI was defined as a mean hearing threshold > 25 dB hearing level in either ear at the frequencies: 3,000 to 8,000 Hz for high-frequency HI (HF-HI) and 500 to 2,000 Hz for low-frequency HI (LF-HI). Combined-frequency HI (CF-HI) was defined as both conditions present, and Any-HI was considered as HI in either low or high frequencies.RESULTS: Of 13,967 participants, 9.9% had SA and 32.3% had Any-HI. Adjusted for risk factors for HI, those with SA had a 30% higher odds of Any-HI (95% confidence interval [CI] = 8% to 57%), 26% higher odds of HF-HI (CI = 3% to 55%), 127% higher odds of LF-HI (CI = 21% to 326%), and 29% higher odds of CF-HI (CI = 0% to 65%). A dose-response association was observed between AHI severity and Any-HI (versus no SA, OR for AHI ≥ 15 and < 30 = 1.22, CI = 0.96 to 1.54, and OR for AHI ≥ 30 = 1.46, CI = 1.11 to 1.91, p = 0.002).CONCLUSION: SA is associated with HF-HI and LF-HI, independent of snoring and other confounders.COMMENTARY: A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 641.

DOI10.5664/jcsm.5804
Alternate JournalJ Clin Sleep Med
PubMed ID26951413
PubMed Central IDPMC4865559
Grant ListK23 HL125923 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
KL2 TR000461 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States
T32 HL007024 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
MS#: 
0158
Manuscript Lead/Corresponding Author Affiliation: 
Field Center: Bronx (Einstein College of Medicine)
ECI: 
Yes
Manuscript Status: 
Published