Risk factors for presbycusis in a socio-economic middle-class sample

Abstract

Presbycusi s, or the aging ear, involves mainly the inner ear and the cochlear nerve, causing sensorineural hearing loss. Risk factors include systemic diseases and poor habits that cause inner ear damage and lead to presbycusis. Correct identification of these risk factors is relevant for prevention. Aim: To evaluate the prevalence and to identify the risk factors of presbycusis in a sample aged over 40 years. Study design: a retrospective case series. Subjects and Methods: medical records of 625 patients were evaluated. Presbycusis was identified using pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry and impedance testing of all patients. Results: The prevalence of presbycusis was 36.1%; the mean age was 50.5 years ranging from 40 to 86 years; 85.5% were male and 14.5% werf female. Age, the male gender, diabetes mellitus, and hereditary hearing loss were identified as risk factors. Cardiovascular diseases, smoking and consumption of alcohol were not confirmed as risk factors, although these have often been mentioned as risk factors for presbycusis. Conclusion: Notwithstanding the idea that presbycusis has multiple risk factors, this study identified few risk factors for this disease.

Prevalência de perda auditiva incapacitante em Juiz de Fora, Brasil

“…Przewoźny et al 35 reported that high blood pressure, lacunar stroke and bilateral ischemia are important risk factors for hearing loss in stroke patients. These data are reinforced by Cruisckshanks et al 36 and contrary to the findings reported by Souza et al 12 . DHL prevalence among smokers was 90% higher when compared to non-smokers.…”

“…Bunch 29 reported that presbycusis affected the population in the following order: white men > white women > black men > black women; and such findings have been reinforced by other authors 12,30 . Hearing loss was 15% higher among men, when compared to women -which is in agreement with the report from Bainbridge et al 20 , who stressed the risk of HL when associated with male gender, low educational level, factory or military occupation, free times of exposure to noise and smoking.…”

Perfil dos usuários de AASI com vistas à amplificação, cognição e processamento auditivo

“…Furthermore, this study showed higher levels of speech recognition in patients younger than 60 years suggesting that the elderly have greater difficulty in speech recognition. This finding may be related both to find hearing loss as the difficulties in processing auditory temporal 2,3,5,6 . All devices adapted were of the retroauricular type requiring the use of ear molds.…”

Untitled

“…Cruickshanks et al, 16 in a study published in 1998, found an overall prevalence of hearing impairment of 45.9%; Calais, 15 in 2005, found a prevalence of 12% in the age group of 45-64 years, rising to 24% in the 65-74 years age group, and reaching 39% at ages over 75 years; and finally, Sousa et al, 13 in 2009, observed an overall prevalence of 36.1%.…”