Association between Albumin and Hearing Loss: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2012, 2015–2018)

Objective We investigated the association between albumin levels and hearing loss. Methods A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the periods 1999–2012 and 2015–2018. Participants aged ≥20 years were included. Data on albumin levels, hearing ability, and relevant covariates were collected. Results The final sample comprised 12,133 adults with a mean age of 48.9 ± 17.5 years; 60.9% were non-Hispanic white, and 51.1% were men. Hearing loss was defined as a threshold of ≥20 dB. The odds ratios for low-frequency, speech-frequency, and high-frequency hearing loss were 0.69 (95% CI: 0.56–0.84, p < 0.001), 0.59 (95% CI: 0.49–0.73, p < 0.001), and 0.62 (95% CI: 0.51–0.76, p < 0.001), respectively. Conclusions These findings suggest that albumin levels are significantly associated with hearing loss in adults in the United States. However, further research into the underlying mechanisms is needed.