Analgesic Use and Risk of Hearing Loss in Men

Posted by HearingAids on December 17, 2010 under Hearing Loss, Prevention | Be the First to Comment

Researchers report in a recent article in the American Journal of Medicine that analgesic use, which is the most commonly used drug in the United States, may be ototoxic and can substantially increase the risk of hearing loss, especially in men younger than 50.

Hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder in the United States, afflicting more than 36 million people.  It is prevalent in the elderly, but about a third of those ages 40 to 49 already suffer some hearing loss.  Common risk factors include loud noise, alcohol, hypertension, diabetes and the use of diuretic furosemide.  Studies in animals and anecdotal reports in humans indicate high does of analgesics can interfere with hearing, but there have been few studies looking at regular use and none studying acetaminophen. This is according to the authors of the study.

The study looked at 51,529 men aged 40-74 who reported regular use of aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen. Regular use for the purposed of this study was considered 2 + times a week. Detailed questionnaires were filled out by each participant at the time the study was launched in 1986 and re-administered every two years to the 20 year mark. The researchers controlled for a variety of other risk factors.  At the 20 year mark they had 26,917 men who fit the study criteria.  Of those 3,488 cases of new hearing loss were reported.

Controlling for other risk factors, the researchers found that among all men who used aspirin at least twice a week, there was a 12% increased risk of hearing loss.  Among those who used ibuprofen and related analgesics, there was a 21%increase; for those who used acetaminophen, a 22% risk.  But the risk was much higher when they considered only men younger than 50.  In that group, there was a 33% increased risk for aspirin use, a 61% increase for ibuprofen and related NSAIDs and a 99% increase for acetaminophen.

In other words use of acetaminophen more than twice a week by men younger than 50 was found to double the risk of hearing loss, use of ibuprofen and related NSAIDs increased the risk by nearly two-thirds and regular use of aspirin increased it by about a third.

It was explained that the reason is pathophysiologic changes in the cochlea.  Depending on the drug it can effect the outer hair cells motor proteins and/ or can reduce cochlear blood flow, increasing the effect of noise induced hearing loss.

The study did caution that the study group involved only men and that most of them were Caucasian.  It is not clear how the results might extrapolate to women and other racial groups.

References:

The American Journal of Medicine, Vol 123, No3, March 2010

Los Angeles Times, HEALTH Section, March 2, 2010