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Low High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels Linked To Hearing Loss In Men
A DGReview of :"Influence of Serum Lipids on Auditory Function"
The Laryngoscope
10/23/2000
By Mark Greener
Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol appear to be associated with hearing loss among men, suggest researchers from Iwate Medical University, Japan.
They speculate that arteriopathy may contribute to some cases of auditory dysfunction.
The authors enrolled 607 men and 317 women aged between 40 and 59 years. The subjects showed normal eardrums and did not report a history of either noise exposure or diseases associated with hearing loss. They also showed normal results on a glucose tolerance test and either normal hearing or sensorineural hearing loss with a flat-form or high-tone gradual-form audiogram.
The authors stratified patients into two groups. Firstly, a high-level group in whom their serum lipid concentrations were at least one standard deviation above the mean. Secondly, a low-level group, in whom serum lipid concentrations were at least one standard deviation lower than the mean.
The two groups showed no difference in hearing when stratified based on total cholesterol and total triglyceride levels. However, when men were stratified based on their HDL cholesterol concentration, hearing levels at 2000 Hz and 4000 Hz in the high-level group were significantly better than those with low concentrations of this lipid.
The authors suggest that low serum concentration of HDL cholesterol is associated with hearing loss. As a result, they argue that arteriopathy may contribute to auditory dysfunction.
"Influence of Serum Lipids on Auditory Function"
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