Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41319482›Full record

ArticleHearing research2026

Smoking history and the rate of hearing decline in aging: Results from a longitudinal cohort study.

Lauren K Dillard, Lois J Matthews, Kathleen E Bainbridge, Jada M Johnson, Judy R Dubno

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Hearing research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Lauren K DillardDepartment of Otolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address: dillalau@musc.edu.
Lois J MatthewsDepartment of Otolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address: matthelj@musc.edu.
Kathleen E BainbridgeNational Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA. Electronic address: kathleen.bainbridge@nih.gov.
Jada M JohnsonDepartment of Otolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address: johnsjad@musc.edu.
Judy R DubnoDepartment of Otolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address: dubnojr@musc.edu.

Funding

SPEECH UNDERSTANDING IN REALISTIC ENVIRONMENTSP50DC000422 · NIDCD · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI DUBNO, JUDY R · 1989 to 2025
$45.3M
South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute (SCTR)UL1TR001450 · NCATS · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI BRADY, KATHLEEN T., FLUME, PATRICK A · 2015 to 2024
$41.1M
Interdisciplinary Research Training in Otolaryngology and Communication SciencesT32DC014435 · NIDCD · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI DUBNO, JUDY R · 2015 to 2024
$2.9M
Early intervention as a determinant of hearing aid benefit for age-related hearing loss: Results from longitudinal cohort studiesF32DC021078 · NIDCD · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI DILLARD, LAUREN KAY · 2023 to 2024
$148k
RENOVATION TO SUPPORT SENSORY NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCHC06RR014516 · NCRR · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · PI RAYMOND, JOHN R · 1999 to 1999
–
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001450NCRR NIH HHS C06 RR014516NIDCD NIH HHS F32 DC021078NIDCD NIH HHS P50 DC000422NIDCD NIH HHS T32 DC014435
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Hearing loss is a common and impactful condition among aging adults. Improved understanding of modifiable risk factors for hearing loss, including smoking, could promote hearing loss prevention. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to determine the association of smoking with the rate of age-related hearing decline across the frequency range. Participants were from the Medical University of South Carolina Longitudinal Cohort Study of Age-related Hearing Loss. Smoking pack years were calculated (at baseline) as the number of self-reported packs smoked per day multiplied by years smoked, and categorized as 0, >0 to 5, >5 to 15, and >15 pack years. Outcome measures were individual audiometric thresholds (0.25 to 8.0 kHz) and pure-tone average (PTA) of thresholds at frequencies 0.5 to -4.0 kHz, averaged bilaterally. We used linear mixed regression models to determine the association of pack years with the rate of annual threshold change at each frequency and PTA. This study included 1032 participants (mean age: 63.3 [SD 14.1] years, mean follow-up time: 5.4 [SD 6.0] years; 60.4 % female; 21.7 % Black race). Compared to non-smokers (0 pack years), participants with >15 pack years had poorer baseline thresholds at frequencies 2.0 to 8.0 kHz and PTA. Compared to non-smokers, participants with >5 to 15 and >15 pack years had higher rates of annual threshold change at frequencies ranging from 1.0 to 8.0 kHz and PTA. Findings corroborate smoking as a possible modifiable risk factor for hearing loss that could have lasting impacts on hearing.

Indexed as

AgingHearingHearing LossPresbycusisSmokingAgedAged, 80 and overAge FactorsAudiometry, Pure-ToneAuditory ThresholdFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedRisk AssessmentAgingCohort studyEpidemiologyHearing lossPreventionSmoking

Identifiers

PMID41319482
PMCPMC13308747

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.