Waist circumference is associated with pitch pattern sequence score in older male adults

Objective: While obesity may increase the risk for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, the relationship between waist circumference (WC) and central auditory dysfunction is unknown. We aimed to investigate the relationship of WC and pitch pattern sequence (PPS) score in adults. Design: The association of WC with PPS score was analysed. Study sample: Volunteer helpers at a community hospital, 391 adults >= 40 years, with normal or symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss were randomly selected. Results: After adjusting for age, gender, pure-tone average, systemic diseases, and habits, WC was significantly negatively associated with PPS. In a subgroup analysis by gender and age, the PPS score was negatively associated with WC only for males who were older than 55 years old, but not for males who were younger than 55 years old or females in either age group. Meanwhile, central obesity showed positive association with abnormal PPS recognition ability (PPS score < 90%) of borderline significance only for males who were older than 55 years old, but not for males who were younger than 55 years old or females in both age groups. Conclusions: WC or central obesity is an independent risk factor for poor central auditory function, especially in older male subjects.