Association Between Hearing Loss, Asymmetric Hearing, and Postural Instability.

Objectives: Recent studies have suggested that older adults with hearing loss (HL) are at a greater risk of postural instability than those with normal hearing. However, little is known regarding this association in middle-aged individuals. The relationships between HL laterality, asymmetric hearing, and posture control are similarly unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of hearing status on postural control and to explore the dose-response relationship between the hearing threshold and postural instability risk in middle-aged adults.

Design: This cross-sectional study included 1308 participants aged 40 to 69 years with complete audiometric and standing balance function data from the 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Speech-frequency HL was defined as a pure-tone average at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz of >25 dB in the better-hearing ear; high-frequency HL was defined as a pure-tone average at 3, 4, and 6 kHz of >25 dB. Asymmetric hearing was defined as a difference in the pure-tone average >15 dB between ears. Postural instability was defined as participants ending the modified Romberg test in condition 4.

Results: After adjustment for sociodemographic variables, lifestyle, and comorbidities, speech-frequency HL, except for unilateral HL, was associated with increased postural instability (mild HL: odds ratio [OR], 2.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25-4.35; moderate-to-severe HL: OR, 3.59; 95% CI, 1.61-8.03). Compared with individuals with normal bilateral hearing, participants with bilateral HL also showed a higher risk of postural instability (OR, 2.88; 95% CI, 1.61-5.14). The OR for postural instability among participants with asymmetric hearing compared with those with symmetric hearing was 2.75 (95% CI, 1.37-5.52). Furthermore, each 10 dB increase in the speech-frequency hearing threshold was associated with a 44% higher risk of postural instability.

Conclusions: Hearing loss is associated with poorer postural control. Individuals with asymmetric hearing have a higher postural instability risk compared with those with symmetric hearing. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and the causality. Moreover, future studies are warranted to assess whether hearing aids are beneficial for the restoration of impaired balance functions.