Auditory function and prevalence of specific ear and hearing related pathologies in the general population at age 70. (1st September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hoff, Maria; Tengstrand, Tomas; Sadeghi, André; Skoog, Ingmar; Rosenhall, Ulf
• Is Part Of: International journal of audiology. Volume 59:Number 9(2020)
• Page Start: 682
• Page End: 693
• Publication Date: 2020-09-01
• Subjects: ARHL -- Speech in noise -- DPOAE -- ABR -- Population-based; Audiology -- Periodicals; Hearing disorders -- Periodicals; Deafness -- Prevention -- Periodicals; Hearing Disorders -- Periodicals; Hearing -- Periodicals; 617.8
• DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2020.1731766
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1499-2027

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To describe the auditory function in early old age in detail based on both psychoacoustic and physiological measures, and to investigate the prevalence of specific audiological and otological pathologies. Design: An unscreened subsample from a population-based geriatric investigation was examined with otoscopy; tympanometry; pure-tone audiometry; word-recognition-in-noise test; distortion-product otoacoustic emissions; and auditory-evoked brainstem responses. Audiometric subtypes and diagnoses were established based on set criteria. The association between word scores and ABR was examined with linear regression analysis. Study Sample: 251 persons aged 70 (113 men, 138 women, born in 1944) that were representative of the inhabitants of the city of Gothenburg. Results: The prevalence of conductive pathology was 2% versus 49% for cochlear and 2% for auditory-neural pathology. Four percent had indeterminate type. Cochlear dysfunction was present in the majority of ears and around 20% performed worse-than-expected on speech testing. Poor performance on the speech in noise test was associated with prolonged interpeak latency interval of ABR waves I-V. Conclusion: Specific otological and audiological pathologies, other than cochlear hearing loss, are rare in the general population at age 70. Additionally, there is subtle evidence of age-related decline of the auditory nerve. Longitudinal follow-up would be of great interest.