The Ala54Thr polymorphism in the fatty acid-binding protein 2 (FABP2) gene is associated with hearing impairment: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE

The fatty acid-binding protein 2 (FABP2) is involved in the transport and metabolism of fatty acids. The FABP2 gene has been proposed as a candidate gene for diabetes and obesity. This study evaluates the hearing impairment risk in the Ala54Thr polymorphism of FABP2 in middle-aged and elderly Japanese.

METHODS

Our sample population comprised 1428 community-dwelling Japanese aged 40-86 years (mean+/-standard deviation [SD]: 63.1+/-9.8) who participated in the Study of Aging between 2004 and 2006. An average hearing threshold level greater than 25 dB in the better ear for frequencies 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz was defined as hearing impairment. Data were analyzed by means of a multiple logistic regression with adjustment for potential confounders.

RESULTS

The per-allele odds ratio for hearing impairment risk was 1.262 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.012-1.574) in model 1, adjusting for age, sex, history of ear disease, and history of occupational noise exposure; and 1.259 (CI: 1.009-1.571) in model 2, which adjusted for diabetes, body mass index and the histories of heart disease and hypertension, as well as the moderators in model 1. A significant adverse effect of the Thr54 variant on hearing was observed and the effect was independent of both diabetes and obesity in the present analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that the Ala54Thr polymorphism of FABP2 was associated with a risk of hearing impairment in middle-aged and elderly people. The results might support caloric restriction theory indirectly, but additional researches are desired.