Elevated blood lead and cadmium levels are associated with a higher risk of tinnitus in US adults, based on a cross-sectional analysis.
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Patients in the highest quartile of blood lead concentration had 1.63 times the odds of experiencing tinnitus compared to those in the lowest quartile.
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A significant increase in tinnitus risk was observed for blood cadmium only in the highest quartile, with 1.32 times the odds compared to the lowest.
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Subgroup analyses revealed that ethnicity and sex modified the association strength, particularly among female and Mexican American patients.
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The study's cross-sectional design limits causal inference, highlighting the need for future longitudinal studies to explore these associations.
