Wang Wenjuan, Su Yuhong, Li Ruilin, Tu Huiqiong, Jin Jie, Zhang Yuanyuan, Qin Shuhong, Zheng Zhanhang, Wu Chenxingzi
School of Nursing, Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, No. 13 of Wuhe Avenue, Nanning 530200, Guangxi, China.
The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, No.89-9 Dongge Avenue, Qingxiu District, Nanning 530023, Guangxi, China.
J Psychosom Res. 2025 Aug;195:112187. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2025.112187. Epub 2025 Jun 13.
Hearing loss and depression are common among older adults, but the association between different frequencies of age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and depression remains unclear, and their causal relationship is yet to be established.This study aimed to explore the association between ARHL at different frequencies and depression and evaluate their causal relationship using Mendelian randomization (MR).
Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression and negative binomial regression to assess the effects of low-frequency, speech-frequency, and high-frequency ARHL on depression, with subgroup analyses by race/ethnicity. GWAS data were used for MR analyses with five methods, including inverse-variance weighting (IVW) and MR-Egger regression. Sensitivity analyses assessed result robustness.
Among 2378 participants, low-frequency and speech-frequency ARHL were associated with a 50 % (OR = 1.5, 95 % CI: 1.1-2.1) and 40 % (OR = 1.4, 95 % CI: 1.0-1.9) increased risk of depression, respectively. High-frequency ARHL showed no significant association. Subgroup analyses revealed stronger associations in Mexican Americans. MR analyses showed no causal relationship between genetically predicted ARHL and depression (IVW OR = 0.8530, 95 % CI: 0.7102-1.0244).The MR-Egger regression analysis found no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy (P > 0.05), and the heterogeneity test indicated that the random-effects IVW model was more suitable (P < 0.001).
Low- and speech-frequency ARHL are associated with increased depression risk, but MR analyses do not support a causal relationship.
听力损失和抑郁症在老年人中很常见，但不同频率的年龄相关性听力损失（ARHL）与抑郁症之间的关联尚不清楚，它们之间的因果关系也有待确立。本研究旨在探讨不同频率的ARHL与抑郁症之间的关联，并使用孟德尔随机化（MR）评估它们的因果关系。
使用多变量逻辑回归和负二项回归分析来自美国国家健康与营养检查调查（NHANES）的数据，以评估低频、言语频率和高频ARHL对抑郁症的影响，并按种族/族裔进行亚组分析。使用GWAS数据通过五种方法进行MR分析，包括逆方差加权（IVW）和MR-Egger回归。敏感性分析评估结果的稳健性。
在2378名参与者中，低频和言语频率ARHL分别与抑郁症风险增加50%（OR = 1.5，95%CI：1.1-2.1）和40%（OR = 1.4，95%CI：1.0-1.9）相关。高频ARHL未显示出显著关联。亚组分析显示在墨西哥裔美国人中关联更强。MR分析显示基因预测的ARHL与抑郁症之间没有因果关系（IVW OR = 0.8530，95%CI：0.7102-1.0244）。MR-Egger回归分析未发现水平多效性的证据（P > 0.05），异质性检验表明随机效应IVW模型更合适（P < 0.001）。
低频和言语频率ARHL与抑郁症风险增加相关，但MR分析不支持因果关系。
