The Association of Concentration of Serum Estradiol and Bone Mineral Density with Auditory Function in Postmenopausal Women / 대한산부인과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To clarify whether hearing sensitivity in postmenopausal women is associated with serum estradiol level or bone mineral density (BMD) MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1999 to December 1999, serum concentration of estradiol, bone mineral densities of the lumbar vertebrae and femoral neck, and hearing sensitivity were measured in 1162 postmenopausal women. Serum concentration of estradiol was measured by radioimmunoassay. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was used to measure bone mineral densities of the lumbar vertebrae and femoral neck. Pure tone thresholds were evaluated by screening pure tone audiometry. All data were analyzed with Student's t-test, multiple logistic regression analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1155 patients were analyzed; 155 patients were in the hearing-loss group and 1000 patients were in the control group. On univariate analysis, significant differences were found in mean age, concentration of serum estradiol, and BMD of the femoral neck between the two groups (mean+/-SD, 58.1+/-5.2 vs 56.0+/-4.3, 11.6+/-6.0 vs 13.1+/-12.0, 0.67+/-0.11 vs 0.70+/-0.11; p-value 0.0001, 0.01, 0.02). On multiple logistic regression analysis and multiple linear regression analysis, significant association was found between age and hearing loss and between age and pure tone threshold (p-value 0.0001, 0.0001, respectively). However, neither seum concentration of estradiol nor BMD was associated with hearing loss or pure tone threshold. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that hearing sensitivity in postmenopausal women is not directly associated with serum estradiol level or BMD.