Effects of light smoking on extra-high-

frequency auditory thresholds in

young adults
1. Nobutaka Ohgami
1. Unit of Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical
Sciences, College of Life and Health Sciences, Chubu University,
Kasugai, Aichi, Japan
1. Takaaki Kondo
1. Program in Radiological and Medical Laboratory Sciences,
Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi,
Japan
1. Masashi Kato
1. Unit of Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical
Sciences, College of Life and Health Sciences, Chubu University,
Kasugai, Aichi, Japan,katomasa@isc.chubu.ac.jp
Sunlight Exposure-Mediated DNA Damage in Young AdultsCancer
Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev. August 1, 2011 20: 1622-1628
There have been few reports showing a correlation between hearing levels
and life style in young people. In this study, we succeeded in sensitively
evaluating hearing levels in 51 young male adults of 21-23 years in age by
12 k Hz extra-high-frequency auditory thresholds, which cannot be
measured by usual audiometry devices for clinical use. Noise exposure,
alcohol consumption and sleeping time did not affect hearing levels in
young adults. Auditory thresholds of 12 kHz frequency in smokers were
significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those in non-smokers, while there were
no differences in 1 kHz, 4 kHz and 8 kHz frequencies of hearing levels
between smokers and non-smokers. Since the Brinkman Index (BI;
cigarettes/day multiplied by number of years) of smokers in this study was
from 12 to 60, our results suggest that even light smoking of less than 20
cigarettes/day for 3 years can result in the development of hearing loss of
12 kHz frequency in young adults. Binary logistic regression analysis
again showed a correlation between hearing loss (40 dB of auditory
thresholds in 12 kHz frequency) and light smoking (12 BI 60). Thus,
this study showed that auditory threshold at 12 kHz frequency could be a
sensitive marker for hearing in young adults. More importantly, we for the
first time provided epidemiological evidence that light smoking might affect
hearing level at 12 kHz frequency and revealed a new risk of light
smoking.
Karena Indeks Brinkman (BI; rokok / hari dikalikan dengan jumlah tahun) dari
perokok dalam penelitian ini adalah 12-60, hasil kami menunjukkan bahwa
merokok bahkan cahaya kurang dari 20 batang / hari selama 3 tahun dapat
mengakibatkan pengembangan gangguan pendengaran dari 12 kHz pada orang
dewasa muda. Analisis regresi logistik biner kembali menunjukkan korelasi antara
gangguan pendengaran ( 40 dB dari ambang pendengaran pada frekuensi 12
kHz) dan ringan merokok (12 BI 60). Dengan demikian, penelitian ini
menunjukkan bahwa ambang pendengaran pada frekuensi 12 kHz bisa menjadi
penanda sensitif untuk mendengar pada orang dewasa muda. Lebih penting lagi,
kami untuk pertama kalinya memberikan bukti epidemiologi bahwa merokok
dapat mempengaruhi tingkat ringan mendengar pada frekuensi 12 kHz dan
mengungkapkan risiko baru merokok cahaya.