Low vitamin D status linked to hearing loss in elderly

An association exists between low vitamin D status and low- and speech-frequency hearing loss (HL) in older adults, according to a cross-sectional study, noting that low vitamin D status may be a predictor of age-related HL.

“The elderly are at increased risk of both HL and osteoporosis,” the authors said. “Bone mineral density (BMD) has been putatively linked to HL.”

This study aimed at determining the association of vitamin D status, parathyroid hormone therapy (PTH), total calcium, and BMD with HL in a nationally representative sample of older adults.

The authors analysed audiometry and BMD data of 1,123 participants aged ≥70 years in a cross-sectional manner using the NHANES (2005–2010). HL was defined as pure tone averages >25 dB HL at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 Hz (low frequency); 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz (speech frequency); and 3,000, 4,000, and 6,000, and 8,000 Hz (high frequency) in either ear.

The association between HL and total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), PTH, total calcium, and BMD was assessed using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for covariates.

Multivariate analysis revealed that total 25(OH)D <20 ng/mL correlated with a higher likelihood of low-frequency (odds ratio [OR], 2.02, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.28–3.19) and speech-frequency HL (OR, 1.96, 95 percent CI, 1.12–3.44).

In addition, a 1-unit decrease in femoral neck BMD (OR, 4.55, 95 percent CI, 1.28–16.67) and in total spine BMD (OR, 6.25, 95 percent CI, 1.33–33.33) correlated with greater odds of low-frequency HL. On the other hand, serum PTH and total calcium did not correlate with HL.