Metabolic Syndrome can cause hearing loss
A study from Iran shows that Metabolic Syndrome is a risk factor for hearing loss and with an increase in the number of Metabolic Syndrome components, the risk of hearing loss is also increased.
What is Metabolic Syndrome?
Metabolic Syndrome describes a group of risk factors which raise the risk of heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke. To be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, you must have at least three metabolic risk factors. Those metabolic risk factors are:
- A large waistline which increases the risk of getting heart diseases
- High blood pressure which can damage the heart and lead to plaque buildup
- High blood sugar which can indicate diabetes
- High triglyceride level which is a type of fat found in the blood
- Low HDL cholesterol level which raises your risk for heart disease
The risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke increases with the number of metabolic risk factors you have. Metabolic Syndrome is also closely linked to obesity and a lack of physical activity.
Why this relation?
Components of the Metabolic Syndrome, such as increased blood pressure or obesity, coincide with risk factors associated with hearing loss. The study compared participants with and without Metabolic Syndrome with participants with or without hearing loss.
The study showed that an association between the different components of Metabolic Syndrome and hearing loss existed in the examined population. The associations were a higher BMI, higher levels of HDL cholesterol, higher blood pressure and higher waist circumference. Compared to participants without hearing loss, the participants with hearing loss were more likely to suffer from Metabolic Syndrome, hypertension, higher BMI, were older, were smokers and had a lower physical activity.
Additionally, the study also found that potential risk factors, such as smoking and low physical activity, were also associated with hearing loss.
About the study
This cross-sectional study consisted of 11,114 male participants from West Azerbaijan in Iran between 20-60 years, whose main job was professional driver. The study examined 3,202 (28,81%) participants diagnosed with Metabolic Syndrome, 7,911 (71,18%) without Metabolic Syndrome and 2,772 (24,94%) participants diagnosed with hearing loss and 8,432 (75,86%) without hearing loss. The participants were all examined for the presence and absence of hearing loss and components of Metabolic Syndrome.
The study “Association between metabolic syndrome and sensorineural hearing loss: a cross-sectional study of 11,114 participants” was published in Dove Press: Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy in November 2017.
Sources: www.nhlbi.nih.gov and Dove Press: Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy