Jing Wang1,2, Valerie Sung1,2,3, Peter Carew1,2,4, Richard S Liu1,2, David Burgner1,2,3,5, Melissa Wake1,2,6. 1. Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. 2. Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. 3. Department of General Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. 4. Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. 5. Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia. 6. Department of Paediatrics & The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Lifelong inflammation - known to be associated with many non-communicable diseases - has not been thoroughly investigated in hearing. We aimed to determine if glycoprotein A (GlycA), a novel biomarker of chronic inflammation, is associated with hearing acuity in mid-childhood and mid-life. METHODS: Population-based cross-sectional study within the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children with plasma GlycA and audiometry data (1169 children and 1316 parents). We calculated high Fletcher Index (mean threshold across 1, 2 and 4 kHz), defining hearing loss as threshold >15 decibel hearing level (dB HL) (better ear). Linear/logistic regression quantified associations of GlycA with hearing threshold/loss. RESULTS: Mean [standard deviation (SD)] high Fletcher Indices (dB HL) were 8.0 (5.7) for children and 13.1 (6.9) for adults, with 8.7% and 26.1% respectively showing hearing loss. 1-SD rise in GlycA (children 0.13 mmol/L, adults 0.17 mmol/L) predicted higher hearing thresholds for the lower individual frequencies [1 kHz: children β 0.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.3-1.3; adults β 0.8, 95% CI 0.2-1.4]. This same pattern was evident for the high Fletcher Index (children β 0.7, 95% CI 0.3-1.1; adults β 0.8, 95% CI 0.3-1.4). This translated into 1-SD rise in GlycA predicting adult hearing loss [odds ratio (OR) 1.2, 95% CI 1.0-1.5] with similar but attenuated patterns in children. CONCLUSIONS: GlycA is associated with poorer hearing by mid-childhood. This potentially reframes hearing loss as a life-course condition with inflammatory antecedents common to other non-communicable diseases. Replication and mechanistic studies could inform causal inference and early prevention efforts.
BACKGROUND: Lifelong inflammation - known to be associated with many non-communicable diseases - has not been thoroughly investigated in hearing. We aimed to determine if glycoprotein A (GlycA), a novel biomarker of chronic inflammation, is associated with hearing acuity in mid-childhood and mid-life. METHODS: Population-based cross-sectional study within the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children with plasma GlycA and audiometry data (1169 children and 1316 parents). We calculated high Fletcher Index (mean threshold across 1, 2 and 4 kHz), defining hearing loss as threshold >15 decibel hearing level (dB HL) (better ear). Linear/logistic regression quantified associations of GlycA with hearing threshold/loss. RESULTS: Mean [standard deviation (SD)] high Fletcher Indices (dB HL) were 8.0 (5.7) for children and 13.1 (6.9) for adults, with 8.7% and 26.1% respectively showing hearing loss. 1-SD rise in GlycA (children 0.13 mmol/L, adults 0.17 mmol/L) predicted higher hearing thresholds for the lower individual frequencies [1 kHz: children β 0.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.3-1.3; adults β 0.8, 95% CI 0.2-1.4]. This same pattern was evident for the high Fletcher Index (children β 0.7, 95% CI 0.3-1.1; adults β 0.8, 95% CI 0.3-1.4). This translated into 1-SD rise in GlycA predicting adult hearing loss [odds ratio (OR) 1.2, 95% CI 1.0-1.5] with similar but attenuated patterns in children. CONCLUSIONS: GlycA is associated with poorer hearing by mid-childhood. This potentially reframes hearing loss as a life-course condition with inflammatory antecedents common to other non-communicable diseases. Replication and mechanistic studies could inform causal inference and early prevention efforts.
Authors: Paola Perin; Alex Mabou Tagne; Paolo Enrico; Franca Marino; Marco Cosentino; Roberto Pizzala; Cinzia Boselli Journal: Front Neurol Date: 2020-11-23 Impact factor: 4.003