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Urinary biomarkers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and the association with hearing threshold shifts in the United States adults

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Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are regarded as environmental pollutants that contribute to several adverse health outcomes. There is no research evidence to support a connection between PAH exposure and hearing loss. Our study aimed to determine the association between PAH exposure and hearing threshold shifts using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,071 US adults participating in the NHANES from 2001 to 2004. The association between PAH metabolites and the log-transformed hearing threshold was investigated using multivariate regression models, which included log-transformed, low-frequency and high-frequency thresholds. After additional pertinent adjustments, a positive correlation between PAH metabolite concentration and log-transformed hearing thresholds was observed. Individuals in the fourth quartile of PAH metabolite concentration had higher hearing thresholds compared with those in the first quartile of PAH metabolite concentration. Exposure to PAHs is related to hearing threshold shift at both low and high frequencies in the US adult population.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Cheng-Wai Chou

  2. Division of Geriatric Medicine, Division of Family Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital and School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Cheng-Wai Chou, Yuan-Yuei Chen, Chung-Ching Wang, Tung-Wei Kao, Chen-Jung Wu, Yi-Chao Zhou & Wei-Liang Chen

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital Songshan Branch and School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Yuan-Yuei Chen

  4. Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Tung-Wei Kao

  5. Division of Family Medicine, Department of Community Medicine, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Chen-Jung Wu

  6. Department of Ophthalmology, Tri-Service General Hospital and School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan

    Ying-Jen Chen

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  1. Cheng-Wai Chou
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Correspondence to Wei-Liang Chen.

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Chou, CW., Chen, YY., Wang, CC. et al. Urinary biomarkers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and the association with hearing threshold shifts in the United States adults. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 562–570 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06883-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06883-4

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