Hearing impairment among haemodialysis patients with chronic kidney disease: a South African perspective

Introduction Hearing loss affects more than 430 million people worldwide and is expected to rise to over 700 million by 2050. There is a well-established association between hearing loss and chronic kidney disease (CKD), as both systems share similar physiological and anatomical characteristics. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and type of hearing loss in individuals with CKD undergoing haemodialysis and to evaluate its impact on their quality of life (QoL).Methods This quantitative cross-sectional study compared 33 CKD participants receiving haemodialysis with 33 age- and sex-matched controls with normal kidney function. Data collection included case history, QoL questionnaires, otoscopy, tympanometry, pure tone audiometry, and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions. Statistical analyses consisted of Mann-Whitney tests, correlations, Friedman tests, and regression analysis.Results Hearing loss was significantly more prevalent in the CKD group (75.8%) compared to the control group (3.0%), with high-frequency loss being most common. Age and CKD status were significant predictors of hearing loss (p < 0.01). Strong positive correlations were found between dialysis duration and hearing thresholds, as well as between hearing loss severity and reduced QoL (p < 0.001).Conclusions The findings highlight the importance of routine audiological monitoring for individuals with CKD, particularly those undergoing long-term haemodialysis.