Influence of serum lipids on auditory function.

Abstract

To evaluate the influence of serum lipids on auditory function. The study group comprised 607 men and 317 women who underwent medical examination at our hospital. Eligibility criteria included 1) age of 40 to 59 years; 2) normal ear drums; 3) no history of noise exposure or of diseases associated with hearing loss; 4) normal results of a glucose tolerance test; and 5) normal hearing or sensorineural hearing loss with a flat-form or high-tone gradual-form audiogram. We investigated the relation between the hearing level of the better-hearing ear and serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. For each variable, the subjects were divided into two groups--a high-level group (serum lipid concentration > or = 1 SD higher than the mean) and a low-level group (serum lipid concentration < or = 1 SD lower than the mean). Differences in hearing level between the two groups were compared according to sex with the t test. For total cholesterol and total triglyceride, there was no significant difference in hearing level between the high-level group and the low-level group in either sex. As for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hearing levels at 2,000 Hz (P < .05) and 4,000 Hz (P < .01) in the high-level group were significantly better than those in the low-level group in men. A low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration is associated with hearing loss. Arteriopathy may play a role in auditory dysfunction.