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The Combined Effect of Noise and Solvent Exposure on Hearing Loss in the Tire Factory Workers

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Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Noise and organic solvents are common in many industries and both of them affect hearing. In this study, we estimated the concurrent effect of them on hearing by evaluating the existence of notch in audiograms of workers. The number of 540 persons were enrolled in this study after eliminating workers who had the exclusion criteria. We divided them into 4 groups based on their exposure status; no exposure, exposure to noise, exposure to solvent, exposure to both of them. The presence of notch in left, right, or both ears were assessed through Coles model. The rates of notch presence in both ears in the groups of noise and organic solvents exposure, noise exposure only, solvents exposure only were 11.72, 4.49, 1.86 times higher than the control group and sole solvent exposure didn't affect hearing significantly. The same pattern was seen for notch presence in left or right ear and the solvent-noise exposure group had the highest rate of notch presence. This study aims to show the synergic effect of noise and organic solvents exposure on hearing loss. Hence, we recommend implementing a hearing protection program and a higher frequency of audiological assessments in the industries involved with concurrent exposure to noise and organic solvents.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Clinical Research Development Unit (CRDU) of Baharloo Hospital and Occupational Sleep Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran for their support, cooperation and assistance throughout the period of study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Research on Occupational Diseases, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Maryam Saraei, Roya Omidi, Omid Aminian & Nazanin Izadi

  2. Occupational Sleep Research Center, Baharloo Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Samaneh Akbarpour

  3. Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Sepideh Ebrahimi Meimand

Authors
  1. Maryam Saraei
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  2. Roya Omidi
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  3. Omid Aminian
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  4. Nazanin Izadi
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  5. Samaneh Akbarpour
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  6. Sepideh Ebrahimi Meimand
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Contributions

MS and RO wrote the manuscript. SA analyzed the data. NI collected the data. OA and reviewed the results. SEM reviewed the whole manuscript and provided guidelines for presentation and interpretation. All of the authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sepideh Ebrahimi Meimand.

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All of the authors state that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Tehran University of Medical Sciences and performed in accordance with the ethical standards.

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All of the participants were provided with informed consent.

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Saraei, M., Omidi, R., Aminian, O. et al. The Combined Effect of Noise and Solvent Exposure on Hearing Loss in the Tire Factory Workers. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 74 (Suppl 3), 3887–3892 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-021-02697-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-021-02697-4

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