Chronic Kidney Disease and Hearing Loss: New Research Findings

A new study published in the October 2010 American Journal of Kidney Diseases (Volume 56, issue 4, pp. 661 - 669) found an association between chronic kidney disease (non-syndromic) and hearing loss. The abstract is below;to obtain the full article or a subscription to the journal, please visit: www.ajkd.org

Title: The Association Between Reduced GFR and Hearing Loss: A Cross-sectional Population-Based Study

Authors: Eswari Vilayur, MBBS, Bamini Gopinath, PhD, David C. Harris, MD, PhD, George Burlutsky, MApplStat, Catherine M. McMahon, PhD, Paul Mitchell, MD, PhD

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has long been associated with hearing loss in certain syndromes. Reported evidence to date has come from only small observational studies. We present the first community-based study to show an association between nonsyndromal CKD and hearing loss.

Study Design: Cross-sectional population-based study to examine the relationship between CKD and age-related hearing loss.

Setting & Participants: The Blue Mountains Hearing Study is a survey of age-related hearing loss conducted in 1997-2004;a total of 2,564 participants had audiometric testing and complete renal data.

Predictor or Factor: Moderate CKD, defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)
Outcomes: Bilateral hearing loss, defined as average pure-tone threshold>25 dB for measurements at frequencies of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 kHz.

Measurements: Baseline biochemistry tests, including serum creatinine, were performed. Pure-tone audiometry was performed in sound-treated booths.

Results: Moderate CKD was present in 513 of 2,564 participants. Of persons with moderate CKD, 279 (54.4%) had measured hearing loss compared with 581 (28.3%) with eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Moderate CKD was independently associated with hearing loss (OR, 1.43;95% CI, 1.10-1.84;P = 0.006) after adjusting for age;sex;noise exposure;education;diabetes, hypertension, and stroke histories;and smoking. Participants with eGFR
Limitations: The present study is not longitudinal and does not permit causal inference from the observed associations.

Conclusions: Moderate CKD per se was associated independently with hearing loss. Recognizing this link could lead to earlier hearing assessment with appropriate interventions to preserve the hearing of patients with CKD.