Muscle-Related Parameters and Sarcopenia According to Hearing-Loss Severity and Hearing-Aid Use

Objectives: Hearing loss is linked to various functional deficits, while its relationships with fat distribution and sarcopenia remain unclear.This study investigated the association of hearing status with body composition and muscle-related parameters. Materials and Methods:This study used data from the ninth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2022-2023), a nationally representative survey.A total of 3,632 individuals with complete data on audiometry, tympanometry, body composition, and handgrip strength were included.Hearing status was classified as normal (≤ 25 dB), mild (> 25 dB to ≤ 40 dB), or moderate-or-worse (> 40 dB).Sarcopenia was defined as low Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Index (ASMI; < 7.0 kg/m² for men, < 5.7 kg/m² for women) combined with low handgrip strength (< 28 kg for men, < 18 kg for women).Results: Compared with normal hearing, moderate-or-worse hearing loss was associated with lower ASMI in the lower extremities and lower total ASMI and handgrip strength in both sexes; upperextremity ASMI and body-water indices were lower only in men (all p < 0.05).Higher hearing thresholds were associated with sarcopenia in both sexes (men: p = 0.020; women: p = 0.013), and this association remained consistent among participants aged ≥65 years.In the subgroup analysis, women with hearing thresholds > 55 dB who used hearing aids had higher handgrip strength than non-users (19.95 ± 0.76 vs. 17.46 ± 0.54 kg; p = 0.0096).Conclusions: Hearing loss may be associated with muscle-related parameters and sarcopenia.Considering this association, appropriate evaluation and intervention for sarcopenia may be warranted in this population.