Subclinical hearing loss, longer sleep duration, and cardiometabolic risk factors in Japanese general population

Abstract

Hearing loss leads to impaired social functioning and quality of life. Hearing loss is also associated with sleeping disorders and cardiometabolic risk factors. Here, we determined whether subclinical hearing loss is associated with sleep duration and cardiometabolic risk factors in a cross-sectional and longitudinal study of healthy Japanese general population. 48,091 men and women aged 20-79 years who underwent medical checkups were included in a cross-sectional study, and 6,674 were included in an 8-year longitudinal study. The prevalence of audiometrically determined hearing loss (>25 dB) at 4000 and 1000 Hz increased significantly with increasing sleep duration in any age strata. Logistic regression analysis showed that compared with reference sleep duration (6 h) longer sleep duration (≥8 h) was significantly associated with hearing loss, even after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Simultaneously, hearing loss was significantly associated with male sex, diabetes, and no habitual exercise. In the longitudinal study, the risk of longer sleep duration (≥8 h) after 8 years was significantly greater in subjects with hearing loss at 4000 Hz at baseline. In conclusion, current results suggest a potential association of subclinical hearing loss with longer sleep duration and cardiometabolic risk factors in a Japanese general population.

Figure 1

Exclusion criteria and subject disposition.

Figure 2

Prevalence of hearing loss according to age group. The number of subjects is shown under the column for hearing loss at 4000 Hz in the left ear (top-left panel). The numbers of subjects included in the other panels were identical. The percentage (%) above the column expresses the average of prevalence of hearing loss according to the age group. The prevalence of hearing loss at 4000 Hz, but not at 1000 Hz, increased significantly with increasing sleep duration in most age groups (χ ² test). Left ear at 4000 Hz: 20–39 years, P = 0.002; all other age groups, P < 0.001. Right ear at 4000 Hz: all age groups, P < 0.001. Left ear at 1000 Hz: 20–39 years, P = 0.51; 40–49 years, P = 0.20; 50–59 years, P = 0.08; 60–79 years, P < 0.001. Right ear at 1000 Hz: 20–39 years, P = 0.34; 40–49 years, P = 0.13; 50–59 years, P < 0.001; 60–79 years, P < 0.001. y.o.: years old.