Adult-onset hearing loss and incident cognitive impairment and dementia – A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

Yu, Ruan-Ching; Proctor, Danielle; Soni, Janvi; Pikett, Liam; Livingston, Gill; Lewis, Glyn; Schilder, Anne; Bamiou, Doris; Mandavia, Rishi; Omar, Rumana; Pavlou, Menelaos; Lin, Frank; Goman, Adele M.; Gonzalez, Sergi Costafreda

Abstract

Background
We comprehensively summarized the cohort evidence to date on adult-onset hearing loss as risk factor for incident cognitive impairment and dementia, and examined the evidence for dose-response, risk for various dementia subtypes, and other moderators. Previous meta-analyses were less comprehensive.

Methods
We included cohort studies with participants without dementia and with hearing assessments at baseline, minimum 2 years follow-up and incident cognitive outcomes. We used random-effect models and subgroup and meta-regression on moderator analyses.

Results
We identified fifty studies (N=1,548,754). Hearing loss (yes/no) was associated with incident dementia risk (HR=1.35 [95% CI = 1.26 – 1.45), mild cognitive impairment (MCI HR=1.29 [95% CI = 1.11 – 1.50]), cognitive decline not specified as MCI or dementia (HR=1.29 [95% CI = 1.17 – 1.42]), and Alzheimer’s disease dementia (ADD, HR=1.56 [95% CI = 1.30 – 1.87]), but not with vascular dementia (HR, 1.30 [95% CI = 0.83 – 2.05]). Each 10-decibel worsening of hearing was associated with a 16% increase in dementia risk (95% CI = 1.07 – 1.27). The effect of hearing loss did not vary across potential moderators.

Conclusions
Cohort studies consistently support that adult-onset hearing loss increases the risk of incident cognitive decline, dementia, MCI, and ADD.

Citation

Yu, R.-C., Proctor, D., Soni, J., Pikett, L., Livingston, G., Lewis, G., Schilder, A., Bamiou, D., Mandavia, R., Omar, R., Pavlou, M., Lin, F., Goman, A. M., & Gonzalez, S. C. (2024). Adult-onset hearing loss and incident cognitive impairment and dementia – A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Ageing research reviews, 98, Article 102346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2024.102346

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 22, 2024
• Online Publication Date: May 23, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-07
• Deposit Date: May 27, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: May 27, 2024
• Journal: Ageing Research Reviews
• Print ISSN: 1568-1637
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 98
• Article Number: 102346
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2024.102346
• Keywords: hearing loss, dementia, cognitive impairment, meta-analysis, moderators