Association of coffee consumption with the prevalence of hearing loss in US adults, NHANES 2003-2006

Objective:This study aims to explore the association between coffee consumption and the prevalence of hearing loss in American adults based on a national population-based survey. Design:Cross-sectional analysis of reported audiometric status and coffee intake from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Multivariate logistic regression, forest plots and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were used to explore the associations and dose-response relationships between coffee consumption frequency and hearing loss. Setting:The USA. Participant:This study included 1894 individuals aged & GE; 20 from the 2003-2006 NHANES. Results:In this study, the prevalence of speech-frequency hearing loss (SFHL) and high-frequency hearing loss (HFHL) among the participants was 35 & BULL;90 % and 51 & BULL;54 %, respectively. Compared with those who no consumed coffee, non-Hispanic White who consumed & GE; 4 cups/d had higher prevalence of SFHL (OR: 1 & BULL;87; 95 % CI: 1 & BULL;003. 3 & BULL;47). And a positive trend of coffee consumption frequency with the prevalence of HFHL was found (P-trend = 0 & BULL;001). This association of HFHL was similar for participants aged 20-64 (P-trend = 0 & BULL;001), non-Hispanic White (P-trend = 0 & BULL;002), non-noise exposure participants (P-trend = 0 & BULL;03) and noise-exposed participants (P-trend = 0 & BULL;003). The forest plots analysis found that the association between 1 cup-increment of daily coffee consumption and the prevalence of HFHL was statistically significant in males. RCS model supported a positive linear association of coffee consumption with SFHL (P for overall association = 0 & BULL;02, P for nonlinearity = 0 & BULL;48) and a positive non-linear association of coffee consumption with HFHL (P for overall association = 0 & BULL;001, P for nonlinearity = 0 & BULL;001). Conclusion:Our findings suggested that coffee consumption was associated with higher prevalence of hearing loss. Further cohort studies in larger population are needed to investigate these findings.