Obstructive sleep apnea and functional hearing loss over 8 years: results from the National Health and Aging Trends Study

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may cause functional hearing loss through ischemic damage to the cochlea or impaired auditory processing in the brain, but longitudinal evidence is lacking. Medicare beneficiaries completed the National Health and Aging Trends Study round 3 (2013) sleep module (n = 1433, 41% male, 21% Black) were followed until round 11 (2021). Elevated OSA risk was defined as a modified STOP-BANG (Snoring, Tiredness, Observed apneas, high blood Pressure, BMI, Age, Neck circumference, Gender) score ≥ 3. Functional hearing loss was defined as self-reported deafness, hearing aid use, or inability to hear well enough to use the telephone or have a conversation in a room with the television or radio on. Discrete-time complementary log-log models were used for incident functional hearing loss. Multinomial logistic regression was used for membership in hearing loss trajectory groups (stable normal hearing, transition to hearing loss, stable hearing loss) estimated using group-based trajectory modeling. Elevated OSA risk score was associated with 1.34 times the hazard of incident functional hearing loss (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.70) and with a higher likelihood of being in the stable hearing loss group (relative risk ratio = 1.79, 95% CI, 1.32-2.42). Screening and treating OSA may be important for hearing health.