Hearing Impairment and Incident Dementia and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: The Health ABC Study. (12th April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Deal, Jennifer A.; Betz, Josh; Yaffe, Kristine; Harris, Tamara; Purchase-Helzner, Elizabeth; Satterfield, Suzanne; Pratt, Sheila; Govil, Nandini; Simonsick, Eleanor M.; Lin, Frank R.
• Is Part Of: Journals of gerontology. Volume 72:Number 5(2017:May)
• Page Start: 703
• Page End: 709
• Publication Date: 2016-04-12
• Subjects: Cognition -- Cognitive aging -- Epidemiology -- Sensory; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glw069
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1079-5006

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Age-related peripheral hearing impairment (HI) is prevalent, treatable, and may be a risk factor for dementia in older adults. In prospective analysis, we quantified the association of HI with incident dementia and with domain-specific cognitive decline in memory, perceptual speed, and processing speed. Methods: Data were from the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) study, a biracial cohort of well-functioning adults aged 70–79 years. Dementia was defined using a prespecified algorithm incorporating medication use, hospital records, and neurocognitive test scores. A pure-tone average in decibels hearing level (dBHL) was calculated in the better hearing ear using thresholds from 0.5 to 4kHz, and HI was defined as normal hearing (≤25 dBHL), mild (26–40 dBHL), and moderate/severe (>40 dBHL). Associations between HI and incident dementia and between HI and cognitive change were modeled using Cox proportional hazards models and linear mixed models, respectively. Results: Three-hundred eighty seven (20%) participants had moderate/severe HI, and 716 (38%) had mild HI. After adjustment for demographic and cardiovascular factors, moderate/severe audiometric HI (vs. normal hearing) was associated with increased risk of incident dementia over 9 years (hazard ratio: 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10, 2.19). Other than poorer baseline memory performance (difference of −0.24 SD s, 95% CI: −0.44, −0.04), no associations were observed between HI and rates of domain-specific cognitive change during 7 years of follow-up. Conclusions: HI is associated with increased risk of developing dementia in older adults. Randomized trials are needed to determine whether treatment of hearing loss could postpone dementia onset in older adults.