Relationship of cigarette smoking and hearing loss in workers exposed to occupational noise.
- Author:
Joo Hyun SUNG
1
;
Chang Sun SIM
;
Choong Ryeol LEE
;
Cheol In YOO
;
Hun LEE
;
Yangho KIM
;
Jiho LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan 682-714, South Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Hearing loss;
Occupational noise;
Smoking
- MeSH:
Audiometry;
Biochemistry;
Hearing Loss*;
Hearing*;
Logistic Models;
Noise, Occupational*;
Odds Ratio;
Smoke;
Smoking*;
Tobacco Products*;
Surveys and Questionnaires
- From:Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
2013;25(1):8-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of smoking on hearing loss among workers exposed to occupational noise. METHODS: From the results of a special workers health examination performed in 2011, we enrolled 8,543 subjects exposed to occupational noise and reviewed the findings. Using self-reported questionnaires and health examination results, we collected data on age, smoking status, disease status, height, weight, and biochemistry and pure tone audiometry findings. We divided the workers into 3 groups according to smoking status (non-smoker, ex-smoker, current smoker). Current smokers (n = 3,593) were divided into 4 groups according to smoking amount (0.05-9.9, 10-19.9, 20-29.9, > or =30 pack-years). We analyzed the data to compare hearing thresholds between smoking statuses using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) after controlling for confounder effects. RESULTS: According to ANCOVA, the hearing thresholds of current smokers at 2 k, 3 k, and 4 kHz were significantly higher than that of the other groups. Multiple logistic regression for smoking status (reference: non-smokers) showed that the adjusted odds ratios of current smokers were 1.291 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.055-1.580), 1.180 (95% CI: 1.007-1.383), 1.295 (95% CI: 1.125-1.491), and 1.321 (95% CI: 1.157-1.507) at 1 k, 2 k, 3 k, and 4 kHz, respectively. Based on smoking amount, the adjusted odds ratios were 1.562 (95% CI: 1.013-2.408) and 1.643 (95% CI: 1.023-2.640) for the 10-19.9 and > or =30 pack-years group, respectively, at 1 kHz (reference: 0.05-9.9 pack-years). At 2 kHz, the adjusted odds ratios were increased statistically significantly with smoking amount for all groups. At all frequencies tested, the hearing thresholds of noise-exposed workers were significantly influenced by current smoking, in particular, the increase of hearing loss at low frequencies according to smoking amount was more prevalent. CONCLUSIONS: Current smoking significantly influenced hearing loss at all frequencies in workers exposed to occupational noise, and heavier smoking influenced low-frequency hearing loss more greatly. There was a dose-response relationship between smoking amount and low-frequency hearing thresholds; however, this was not observed for high-frequency hearing thresholds. Therefore, well-designed prospective studies are needed to clarify the effects of smoking on the degree of hearing loss.
