Abstract:
Background Kurtosis reflecting noise's temporal structure is an effective metric for evaluating noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), and its threshold is still unclear.
Objective To explore the energy range of kurtosis and the threshold of NIHL induced by kurtosis in this energy range
Methods Using cross-sectional design, 4631 noise-exposed workers in manufacturing industry were selected. The hearing loss and noise exposure data of each worker were collected. Logistic regression model was used to establish the dose-response relationship between noise exposure and hearing loss and estimate the range of energy effects. Restricted cubic spline model was utilized to analyze the dose-response relationship curves of kurtosis to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHI) and high-frequency noise-induced hearing loss (HFNIHL) under different 8 h equivalent sound levels (LEX,8 h), as well as to estimate the kurtosis effect threshold.
Results The logistic regression model analysis showed that the prevalence of NIHI and HFNIHL increased significantly with increase of LEX,8 h for steady noise; when LEX,8 h of non-steady noise was 80-100 dB(A), the risk of hearing loss increased with an increase in kurtosis (P<0.05). The restricted cubic spline model showed that when LEX,8 h of non-steady noise was 0-80 dB(A) or >100 dB(A), there was no significant relationship between kurtosis and NIHI or HFNIHL. When LEX,8 h was 80-100 dB(A), there was a significant nonlinear dose-response relationship between kurtosis and NIHL or HFNIHL (P <0.001), and kurtosis > 28.08 exerted effect in elevating NIHI or HFNIHL.
Conclusion The effect threshold of kurtosis on NIHL is 28.08 when non-steady noise levels are in the range of 80-100 dB(A). The effect threshold of kurtosis needs further verification.
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