A team of researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital utilized data from the long-running Nurses’ Health Study to prospectively track the use of pain relievers and self-reported hearing loss in 55,850 women between the ages of 48 and 73 over six years. The team considered participants’ information on usage of aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen — in addition to self-reported hearing loss.
The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, found that compared with women who used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen or naproxen) two or more times a week for less than a year, those who regularly used them for six years or more were 10 percent more likely to report defective hearing. Using acetaminophen (Tylenol) at the same levels was associated with a 9 percent increase in hearing loss.
The study found no association of hearing loss with the long-term use of aspirin.
The lead author, Brian M. Lin, a resident in otolaryngology at Harvard, acknowledged that the effect was modest. But, he said, “Although the magnitude of effect is low, because prevalence of use is so high, it can have large implications for public health.”
The researchers acknowledged that theirs is an observational study which does not prove cause and effect, they, however, stressed the study has significant information.
“Considering the high prevalence of analgesic use and the high probability of frequent and/or prolonged exposure in women of more advanced age, our findings suggest that NSAID use and acetaminophen use may be modifiable risk factors for hearing loss,” the study authors said.
The study findings are in line with a growing body of evidence suggesting that the long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) or acetaminophen may have long-lasting and potentially adverse side effects including loss of hearing.
“Hearing loss is extremely common in the United States and can have a profound impact on quality of life,” said senior author Gary Curhan, MD, SCD. “Finding modifiable risk factors could help us identify ways to lower risk before hearing loss begins and slow progression in those with hearing loss,” he added.
While the current study did not explore how the medications affect hearing, previous work suggests that the drugs may either affect cells in the ear or affect blood and oxygen flow to sensitive parts of the organ that may compromise hearing.
“I worry that people think NSAIDs and acetaminophen are completely safe, and that they don’t need to think about their potential
“One of the messages we try to make people aware of is that even though these drugs are over-the-counter, and they don’t need a prescription and are safe for short term use, as far as people taking them long term, there are lots of considerations that people don’t always take into account,” says Curhan.
*Source: Trends in the use of aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the general U.S. population, Yingjun Zhou et al, Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, published January 2014