Association between dipstick proteinuria and hearing impairment in health check-ups among Japanese workers: a cross-sectional study

Relationships between dipstick proteinuria and risk of hearing impairment among Japanese workers: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Hearing impairment is among the most significant health problems, and the number of adults with hearing impairment is increasing worldwide. Therefore, the prevention of hearing impairment is important. Proteinuria appears to be a risk factor for hearing impairment, but no prospective studies have examined the association between proteinuria and hearing impairment risk. This prospective study aimed to clarify the association between dipstick proteinuria and risk of hearing impairment.

DESIGN

This was a prospective cohort study based on annual health check-up data, 2008-2016.

SETTING

Data were collected on 7005 employees of a single company who worked in offices and factories throughout Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

We analysed data from 5699 subjects (88.6% men) who underwent annual health check-ups twice or more from 2008 to 2016, had no missing data, and were free from hearing impairment at baseline. We regarded the first health check-up as the baseline examination.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Hearing tests were performed using audiometry at two frequencies (1 and 4 kHz) during the health check-ups. Defining total moderate hearing impairment as the inability to respond to 30 dB at 1 kHz and/or 40 dB at 4 kHz, we examined the association between dipstick proteinuria at baseline and risk of hearing impairment at final examination.

RESULTS

Total moderate hearing impairment was noted in 162 (2.8%) subjects. Compared with subjects without proteinuria at baseline, the multivariable adjusted OR (95% CI) was 5.35 (1.87-15.25) for subjects with proteinuria ≥2+, 0.92 (0.40-2.13) for those with proteinuria +/-, and 1.33 (0.63-2.80) for those with proteinuria+ at baseline.

CONCLUSIONS

Severe dipstick proteinuria was positively associated with risk of hearing impairment in the future. Our results suggest that medical examinations including urine testing are effective for detecting subjects with high risk of hearing impairment.

Association between hypertension and hearing impairment in health check-ups among Japanese workers: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Prevention of hearing impairment (HI) is important because recovery of hearing is typically difficult. Epidemiological studies have examined the risk factors for HI. However, the association between hypertension and HI remains unclear. We aimed to clarify the association between hypertension and HI.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Japanese workers in an information and communication technologies company.

PARTICIPANTS

Of 24 823 employees of the same company, we recruited 13 475 participants who underwent hearing testing by audiometry in annual health check-ups and did not have missing data regarding body measurement, blood test results and drinking/smoking status (mean age: 49.4 years; males: 86.4%).

PRIMARY OUTCOMES

Hearing tests were performed at two frequencies (1 kHz, 4 kHz). We defined the inability of participants to respond to 30 dB at 1 kHz and/or 40 dB at 4 kHz as overall moderate HI. We also defined moderate HI at 1 or 4 kHz as an abnormal finding at 1 or 4 kHz. We defined hypertension as ≥140 mm Hg systolic blood pressure and/or ≥90 mm Hg diastolic blood pressure and/or taking medication for hypertension. We examined the association between hypertension and HI after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, smoking/drinking status, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia and proteinuria.

RESULTS

Moderate HI was identified in 980 participants (7.3%). Of these, 441 participants (3.3%) exhibited moderate HI at 1 kHz, and 787 participants (5.8%) exhibited moderate HI at 4 kHz. Subjects with hypertension showed a higher prevalence of any HI. The prevalence of overall moderate HI, moderate HI at 1 kHz and moderate HI at 4 kHz among subjects with hypertension was 8.7%, 4.3% and 6.8%, while those among subjects without hypertension was 6.9%, 3.0% and 5.6% (p<0.01, p<0.01 and p=0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Hypertension was associated with moderate HI in Japanese workers.