HEARING THRESHOLD SHIFTS, WHITE-CELL COUNT AND SMOKING STATUS IN WORKING MEN

The association between cardiovascular risk factors and high-frequency hearing loss (HFHL) was examined using medical records from 699 emplo yees with low workplace noise exposure. High-frequency hearing (averag ed frequencies of 4000, 6000 and 8000 Hz) was significantly associated with white-blood-cell (WBC) count, smoking status, mean corpuscular v olume and the giobulin/albumin ratio, especially in men less than or e qual to 40 years old. The association with WBC count remained signific ant after controlling for smoking, cholesterol, blood pressure, and de terminants of blood viscosity. An increase in WBC count of 10(3)/mm(3) was associated with a 1.9 decibel (dB) decline in hearing (95% Cl: 0. 9, 3.0). controlling for WBC count reduced the association between hig h-frequency hearing loss and smoking. Ever-smokers (former and current ) compared with never-smokers demonstrated a 6.8 dB decline in hearing (95% CI: 2.4, 11.1). Associations between HFHL and cardiovascular ris k factors are most apparent in younger adults with less cumulative noi se exposure. HFHL may be a population marker for susceptibility to car diovascular and disease.