Affiliation:
1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Chengdu China
2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Chengdu China
Abstract
AbstractObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the potential environmental risk factors, protective factors, and biomarkers of hearing loss (HL), and establish a hierarchy of evidence.Data SourcesEmbase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science electronic database from inception to June 1, 2023.Review MethodsWe included meta‐analyses of observational studies of associations between HL and environmental risk factors, protective factors, or biomarkers. We calculated summary effect estimates, 95% confidence interval, heterogeneity I2 statistic, 95% prediction interval, small study effects, and excess significance biases.ResultsOf the 9211 articles retrieved, 60 eligible articles were included. The 60 eligible articles identified 47 potential environmental risk and protective factors (N = 4,123,803) and 46 potential biomarkers (N = 173,701). Evidence of association was convincing (class I) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and every 1 cm increase in height. Evidence of association was highly suggestive (class II) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), diabetes, cumulative noise exposure (CNE), smoking, congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, combined exposure to organic solvents and noise, non‐Gaussian noise exposure, each 1 kg increase in birth weight, noise exposure, and alopecia areata (AA).ConclusionIn this umbrella review, RA, every 1 cm increase in height, HIV, diabetes, CNE, smoking, congenital CMV infection, combined exposure to organic solvents and noise, non‐Gaussian noise exposure, each 1 kg increase in birth weight, noise exposure, and AA were strongly associated with HL.