'The burden is very much on yourself': A qualitative study to understand the illness and treatment burden of hearing loss across the life course.

INTRODUCTION: Hearing loss is a chronic health condition that rises sharply with age. The way people respond to and cope with health conditions is influenced by their capacity to perform illness and treatment-related work. The aim was to explore the cumulative burdens of living with hearing loss and the resources mobilised to ease the burdens. METHODS: A qualitative design was used with semi-structured interviews (online or in-person) with participants recruited through audiology services and nonclinical services, such as lip-reading classes. Forty-six participants with hearing loss aged between 16 and 96 years were interviewed. An abductive approach, informed by May et al.'s burden of treatment theory, was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: The illness burden involved participants working to make sense of their hearing loss, engaging in emotional work in response to changes in sound, social interactions and identity and coping with the daily frustrations required to communicate with others. Abandonment and uncertainty characterised the treatment burden; participants engaged in emotional work to adjust to hearing technology and deal with the uncertainty of how their hearing might progress. To ameliorate the burdens, participants drew on internal resources (psychological, health literacy, cognitive) and external resources (social support, financial, information, technology). CONCLUSIONS: The workload of hearing loss appears largely devolved to the patient and is not always visible. Our work indicates the need to widen approaches in audiological care through the implementation of lifeworld-led care, family-centred care and peer support to build support for those with hearing loss. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: We developed the project in consultation with members of the public who have lived experience of hearing loss recruited through Aston University and volunteer links to audiology services. We also consulted people more likely to be affected by hearing loss adults including adults with learning disabilities, older adults in residential care and people from South Asia (Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani communities). These individuals commented on the study aims, interview schedule and participant recruitment practices. One of our co-authors (expert by experience) contributed to the development and interpretation of themes and preparation of the final manuscript.

Investigation of the effectiveness of sound enrichment in the treatment of tinnitus due to hearing loss.

OBJECTIVE: In previous animal studies, sound enhancement reduced tinnitus perception in cases associated with hearing loss. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of sound enrichment therapy in tinnitus treatment by developing a protocol that includes criteria for psychoacoustic characteristics of tinnitus to determine whether the etiology is related to hearing loss. METHODS: A total of 96 patients with chronic tinnitus were included in the study. Fifty-two patients in the study group and 44 patients in the placebo group considered residual inhibition (RI) outcomes and tinnitus pitches. Both groups received sound enrichment treatment with different spectrum contents. The tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), visual analog scale (VAS), minimum masking level (MML), and tinnitus loudness level (TLL) results were compared before and at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in THI, VAS, MML, and TLL scores from the first month to all months after treatment (p < .01). For the study group, there was a statistically significant decrease in THI, VAS, MML, and TLL scores in the first month (p < .01). This decrease continued at a statistically significant level in the third month of posttreatment for THI (p < .05) and at all months for VAS-1 (tinnitus severity) (p < .05) and VAS-2 (tinnitus discomfort) (p < .05). CONCLUSION: In clinical practice, after excluding other factors related to the tinnitus etiology, sound enrichment treatment can be effective in tinnitus cases where RI is positive and the tinnitus pitch is matched with a hearing loss between 45 and 55 dB HL in a relatively short period of 1 month.

Guiding Ethical Decisions in Cochlear Implantation for the Hearing Impaired with Comorbid Psychosis.

AbstractCochlear implants can restore hearing in people with severe hearing loss and have a significant impact on communication, social integration, self-esteem, and quality of life. However, whether and how much clinical benefit is derived from cochlear implants varies significantly by patient and is influenced by the etiology and extent of hearing loss, medical comorbidities, and preexisting behavioral and psychosocial issues. In patients with underlying psychosis, concerns have been raised that the introduction of auditory stimuli could trigger hallucinations, worsen existing delusions, or exacerbate erratic behavior. This concern has made psychosis a relative contraindication to cochlear implant surgery. This is problematic because there is a lack of data describing this phenomenon and because the psychosocial benefits derived from improvement in auditory function may be a critical intervention for treating psychosis in some patients. The objective of this report is to provide an ethical framework for guiding clinical decision-making on cochlear implant surgery in the hearing impaired with psychosis.

Disturbance in the protein landscape of cochlear perilymph in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model.

Hearing loss is a pivotal risk factor for dementia. It has recently emerged that a disruption in the intercommunication between the cochlea and brain is a key process in the initiation and progression of this disease. However, whether the cochlear properties can be influenced by pathological signals associated with dementia remains unclear. In this study, using a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD), we investigated the impacts of the AD-like amyloid ß (Aß) pathology in the brain on the cochlea. Despite little detectable change in the age-related shift of the hearing threshold, we observed quantitative and qualitative alterations in the protein profile in perilymph, an extracellular fluid that fills the path of sound waves in the cochlea. Our findings highlight the potential contribution of Aß pathology in the brain to the disturbance of cochlear homeostasis.

Design and Methods of the Early Age-Related Hearing Loss Investigation Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Hearing loss has been identified as a major modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline. The Early Age-Related Hearing Loss Investigation (EARHLI) study will assess the mechanisms linking early age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and cognitive impairment. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, single-site, early phase II, superiority trial. SETTING: Tertiary academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred fifty participants aged 55 to 75 years with early ARHL (severity defined as borderline to moderate) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment will be included. INTERVENTIONS: Participants will be randomized 1:1 to a best practice hearing intervention or a health education control. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary study outcome is cognition measured by the Alzheimer Disease Cooperative Study-Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite. Secondary outcomes include additional measures of cognition, social engagement, and brain organization/connectivity. RESULTS: Trial enrollment will begin in early 2024. CONCLUSIONS: After its completion in 2028, the EARHLI trial should offer evidence on the effect of hearing treatment versus a health education control on cognitive performance, social engagement, and brain organization/connectivity in 55- to 75-year-old community-dwelling adults with early ARHL and amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

Identification of novel and known genetic variants associated with hereditary hearing loss in iranian families using whole exome sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Hearing loss (HL) is a common sensory impairment worldwide, with genetic and environmental factors contributing to its occurrence. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) plays a crucial role in identifying the genetic factors involved in this heterogeneous disorder. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, a total of 9 unrelated Iranian families, each having at least one affected individual who tested negative for mutations in GJB2, underwent screening using whole exome sequencing (WES). The pathogenicity and novelty of the identified variant was checked using various databases. Co-segregation study was also performed to confirm the presence of the candidate variants in parents. Plus, The pathogenicity of the detected variant was assessed through in silico analysis using a number of mutation prediction software tools. Among the 9 investigated families, hearing loss-causing genes were identified in 6 families. the mutations were observed in USH2A, CLRN1, BSND, SLC26A4, and MITF, with two of the identified mutations being novel. CONCLUSION: Discovering additional variants and broadening the range of mutations associated with hearing impairment has the potential to enhance the diagnostic effectiveness of molecular testing in patient screening, and can also lead to improved counseling aimed at reducing the risk of affected offspring for high-risk couples.

Effects of cooking with solid fuel on hearing loss in Chinese adults-Based on two cohort studies.

The association between cooking fuel and hearing loss still needs more research to clarify, and two longitudinal cohort studies were explored to find if solid fuel use for cooking affected hearing in Chinese adults. The data from Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) and Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) were analyzed. Participants (older than 18) without hearing loss at baseline and follow-up visits were included, which were divided into clean fuel and solid fuel groups. Hearing loss rate was from follow-up visits (both in year 2011) until the recent one (year 2018 in CHARLS and 2019 in CLHLS). Cox regressions were applied to examine the associations with adjustment for potential confounders. Fixed-effect meta-analysis was used to pool the results. A total of 9049 participants (average age 8.34 ± 9.12 [mean ± SD] years; 4247 [46.93%] males) were included in CHARLS cohort study and 2265 participants (average age, 78.75 ± 9.23 [mean ± SD] years; 1148 [49.32%] males) in CLHLS cohort study. There were 1518 (16.78%) participants in CHARLS cohort and 451 (19.91%) participants in CLHLS cohort who developed hearing loss. The group of using solid fuel for cooking had a higher risk of hearing loss (CHARLS: HR, 1.16; 95% CI 1.03-1.30; CLHLS: HR, 1.43; 95% CI 1.11-1.84) compared with the one of using clean fuel. Pooled hazard ratio showed the incidence of hearing loss in the solid fuel users was 1.17 (1.03, 1.29) times higher than that of clean fuel users. Hearing loss was associated with solid fuel use and older people were at higher risk. It is advised to replace solid fuel by clean fuel that may promote health equity.

Structural basis for pathogenic variants of GJB2 and hearing levels of patients with hearing loss.

OBJECTIVES: The crystal structure of the six protomers of gap junction protein beta 2 (GJB2) enables prediction of the effect(s) of an amino acid substitution, thereby facilitating investigation of molecular pathogenesis of missense variants of GJB2. This study mainly focused on R143W variant that causes hearing loss, and investigated the relationship between amino acid substitution and 3-D structural changes in GJB2. METHODS: Patients with nonsyndromic hearing loss who appeared to have two GJB2 pathogenic variants, including the R143W variant, were investigated. Because the X-ray crystal structure of the six protomers of the GJB2 protein is known, R143W and structurally related variants of GJB2 were modeled using this crystal structure as a template. The wild-type crystal structure and the variant computer-aided model were observed and the differences in molecular interactions within the two were analyzed. RESULTS: The predicted structure demonstrated that the hydrogen bond between R143 and N206 was important for the stability of the protomer structure. From this prediction, R143W related N206S and N206T variants showed loss of the hydrogen bond. CONCLUSION: Investigation of the genotypes and clinical data in patients carrying the R143W variant on an allele indicated that severity of hearing loss depends largely on the levels of dysfunction of the pathogenic variant on the allele, whereas a patient with the homozygous R143W variant demonstrated profound hearing loss. We concluded that these hearing impairments may be due to destabilization of the protomer structure of GJB2 caused by the R143W variant.

Genetic Landscape of Hearing Loss in the Caribbean: A Narrative Review.

The Caribbean region has a diverse population of about 40 million people, spread over 13 sovereign states. This review aims to describe the existing studies on hereditary hearing loss (HL) in the Caribbean population. We systematically reviewed scientific articles on HL prevalence, genetic causes, technology use, and environmental effects in Caribbean nations and the Caribbean diaspora in the United States. Key findings show that HL rates, with diverse genetic variables, vary across Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. Local resources and technology have been used to diagnose HL, particularly in rural areas. Environmental factors tend to affect HL prevalence in various regions. This literature review of Caribbean-focused studies helps guide future research and healthcare strategies, particularly concerning genetic drift caused by migration to the United States. Understanding these factors can help diagnose and treat HL in America's diverse population.

Relationship Between Hypertension and Hearing Loss: Analysis of the Related Factors.

Purpose: The impact of hypertension extends to hearing loss, aging, and mental Health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of hearing loss and hearing thresholds at different frequencies in individuals with hypertension. Through a comprehensive analysis, in the present study, it aimed to uncover the contributing factors that underlie hearing loss in this patient cohort, shedding light on the complex relationship between hypertension and auditory impairment. Patients and Methods: This was a single-center population-based observational study, and clinical, biological, and hospital data were collected from the inpatient ward. In the present study, 517 patients (1034 ears) with or without hypertension were included, and the proportion of patients with hearing loss, mean pure-tone average hearing threshold, low-frequency pure-tone average hearing threshold (LFPTA), medium-frequency pure-tone average hearing threshold (MFPTA) and high-frequency pure-tone average hearing threshold (HFPTA) were evaluated. Risk factors related to hearing loss and hearing threshold were also estimated at different frequencies. Results: The proportion of patients with hearing loss was higher in the hypertensive group than in the nonhypertensive group (P<0.05). After including risk factors for cardiovascular disease that can have an impact on the parameters of hearing and ambulatory blood pressure in the regression model, factors related to hearing loss included the albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) and the standard deviation of the 24-hour systolic blood pressure (24h-SSD). ACR, 24h-SSD, and day systolic blood pressure (Day SBP) were associated with the mean pure-tone average hearing threshold, LFPTA, MFPTA, and HFPTA. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of ACR + 24h-SSD for hearing loss was 0.873, with a sensitivity of 86.73%, specificity of 90.52%, and a 95% confidence interval of 0.821-0.914. Conclusion: Hypertension is correlated with hearing loss, and the combination of ACR and 24h-SSD demonstrates an improved predictive capacity for hearing loss in hypertensive patients.

Deep learning-based auditory attention decoding in listeners with hearing impairment.

Objective.This study develops a deep learning (DL) method for fast auditory attention decoding (AAD) using electroencephalography (EEG) from listeners with hearing impairment (HI). It addresses three classification tasks: differentiating noise from speech-in-noise, classifying the direction of attended speech (left vs. right) and identifying the activation status of hearing aid noise reduction algorithms (OFF vs. ON). These tasks contribute to our understanding of how hearing technology influences auditory processing in the hearing-impaired population.Approach.Deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) models were designed for each task. Two training strategies were employed to clarify the impact of data splitting on AAD tasks: inter-trial, where the testing set used classification windows from trials that the training set had not seen, and intra-trial, where the testing set used unseen classification windows from trials where other segments were seen during training. The models were evaluated on EEG data from 31 participants with HI, listening to competing talkers amidst background noise.Main results.Using 1 s classification windows, DCNN models achieve accuracy (ACC) of 69.8%, 73.3% and 82.9% and area-under-curve (AUC) of 77.2%, 80.6% and 92.1% for the three tasks respectively on inter-trial strategy. In the intra-trial strategy, they achieved ACC of 87.9%, 80.1% and 97.5%, along with AUC of 94.6%, 89.1%, and 99.8%. Our DCNN models show good performance on short 1 s EEG samples, making them suitable for real-world applications. Conclusion: Our DCNN models successfully addressed three tasks with short 1 s EEG windows from participants with HI, showcasing their potential. While the inter-trial strategy demonstrated promise for assessing AAD, the intra-trial approach yielded inflated results, underscoring the important role of proper data splitting in EEG-based AAD tasks.Significance.Our findings showcase the promising potential of EEG-based tools for assessing auditory attention in clinical contexts and advancing hearing technology, while also promoting further exploration of alternative DL architectures and their potential constraints.

Hearing preservation surgery for vestibular schwannoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of this systematic review is to analyse the role of hearing preservation surgery for vestibular schwannoma. The complications and hearing outcomes of the single surgical techniques were investigated and compared with those of less invasive strategies, such as stereotactic radiotherapy and wait and scan policy. This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed according to the PRISMA guidelines. All included studies were published in English between 2000 and 2022. Literature data show that hearing preservation is achieved in less than 25% of patients after surgery and in approximately half of cases after stereotactic radiotherapy, even if data on long-term preservation are currently not available.

Associations and Potential Multiple Mechanisms between Subjective Hearing Loss and Cognitive Impairment.

BACKGROUND: Subjective hearing loss (SHL) refers to an individual's self-assessment of their hearing loss. The association and underlying mechanisms between SHL and cognitive impairment still necessitate elucidation. OBJECTIVES: To validate potential mechanisms between SHL and cognitive impairment. DESIGN: Cross-section. SETTING: Shanghai, China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2369 individuals from communities and the cognitive disorder clinic. MEASUREMENTS: All participants were subjected to a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, encompassing the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening Version (HHIE-S). The participants' brain ß-amyloid (Aß) deposition status, plasma biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and cardiovascular risk factors were also collected. RESULTS: In individuals with a heightened SHL, elevated HHIE-S score was linked to diminished cognitive and daily functioning as well as heightened levels of depressed mood. This correlation was observed in auditory memory performance but not in visual memory. The influence of SHL on cognitive function was mediated by depressed mood. SHL was associated with diabetes and smoking, whereas cognitive function was associated with hyperlipidemia and alcohol consumption. In individuals with positive brain Aß deposition, SHL demonstrated associations with cognitive function independent of plasma Aß42/40 ratio, P-tau181, neurofilament light chain, and APOE allele status. CONCLUSION: SHL has an independent effect on cognitive impairment. The findings do no provide evidence for the common cause mechanism. Instead, the findings support the presence of a cognitive resource mechanism and an impoverished environment mechanism, along with the potential for a pathological interaction mechanism.

The natural history and genotype-phenotype correlations of TMPRSS3 hearing loss: an international, multi-center, cohort analysis.

TMPRSS3-related hearing loss presents challenges in correlating genotypic variants with clinical phenotypes due to the small sample sizes of previous studies. We conducted a cross-sectional genomics study coupled with retrospective clinical phenotype analysis on 127 individuals. These individuals were from 16 academic medical centers across 6 countries. Key findings revealed 47 unique TMPRSS3 variants with significant differences in hearing thresholds between those with missense variants versus those with loss-of-function genotypes. The hearing loss progression rate for the DFNB8 subtype was 0.3 dB/year. Post-cochlear implantation, an average word recognition score of 76% was observed. Of the 51 individuals with two missense variants, 10 had DFNB10 with profound hearing loss. These 10 all had at least one of 4 TMPRSS3 variants predicted by computational modeling to be damaging to TMPRSS3 structure and function. To our knowledge, this is the largest study of TMPRSS3 genotype-phenotype correlations. We find significant differences in hearing thresholds, hearing loss progression, and age of presentation, by TMPRSS3 genotype and protein domain affected. Most individuals with TMPRSS3 variants perform well on speech recognition tests after cochlear implant, however increased age at implant is associated with worse outcomes. These findings provide insight for genetic counseling and the on-going design of novel therapeutic approaches.

An Exploration of the Memory Performance in Older Adult Hearing Aid Users on the Integrated Digit-in-Noise Test.

This study aimed to preliminarily investigate the associations between performance on the integrated Digit-in-Noise Test (iDIN) and performance on measures of general cognition and working memory (WM). The study recruited 81 older adult hearing aid users between 60 and 95 years of age with bilateral moderate to severe hearing loss. The Chinese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Basic (MoCA-BC) was used to screen older adults for mild cognitive impairment. Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) were measured using 2- to 5-digit sequences of the Mandarin iDIN. The differences in SRT between five-digit and two-digit sequences (SRT5-2), and between five-digit and three-digit sequences (SRT5-3), were used as indicators of memory performance. The results were compared to those from the Digit Span Test and Corsi Blocks Tapping Test, which evaluate WM and attention capacity. SRT5-2 and SRT5-3 demonstrated significant correlations with the three cognitive function tests (rs ranging from -.705 to -.528). Furthermore, SRT5-2 and SRT5-3 were significantly higher in participants who failed the MoCA-BC screening compared to those who passed. The findings show associations between performance on the iDIN and performance on memory tests. However, further validation and exploration are needed to fully establish its effectiveness and efficacy.

Does Intraoperative Extracochlear Electrocochleography Correlate With Postoperative Audiometric Hearing Thresholds in Cochlear Implant Surgery? A Retrospective Analysis of Cochlear Monitoring.

In recent years, tools for early detection of irreversible trauma to the basilar membrane during hearing preservation cochlear implant (CI) surgery were established in several clinics. A link with the degree of postoperative hearing preservation in patients was investigated, but patient populations were usually small. Therefore, this study's aim was to analyze data from intraoperative extracochlear electrocochleography (ECochG) recordings for a larger group.During hearing preservation CI surgery, extracochlear recordings were made before, during, and after CI electrode insertion using a cotton wick electrode placed at the promontory. Before and after insertion, amplitudes and stimulus response thresholds were recorded at 250, 500, and 1000 Hz. During insertion, response amplitudes were recorded at one frequency and one stimulus level. Data from 121 patient ears were analyzed.The key benefit of extracochlear recordings is that they can be performed before, during, and after CI electrode insertion. However, extracochlear ECochG threshold changes before and after CI insertion were relatively small and did not independently correlate well with hearing preservation, although at 250 Hz they added some significant information. Some tendencies-although no significant relationships-were detected between amplitude behavior and hearing preservation. Rising amplitudes seem favorable and falling amplitudes disadvantageous, but constant amplitudes do not appear to allow stringent predictions.Extracochlear ECochG measurements seem to only partially realize expected benefits. The questions now are: do gains justify the effort, and do other procedures or possible combinations lead to greater benefits for patients?

[Mutation spectrum analysis of 23-site chip neonatal deafness genetic screening].

Objective:To analyze the mutation spectrum of 23-site chip newborn deafness genetic screening in Beijing, and to provide basis for genetic counseling and clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods:The study included 21 006 babies born in Beijing from December 2022 to June 2023. All subjects underwent newborn deafness genetic screening in Beijing Tongren Hospital, covering 23 variants in 4 genes, the GJB2 gene（c.35delG, c.176_191del16, c.235delC, c.299_300delAT, c.109G>A, c.257C>G, c.512insAACG, c.427C>T, c.35insG）, SLC26A4 gene（c.919-2A>G, c.2168A>G, c.1174A>T, c.1226G>A, c.1229C>T, c.1975G>C, c.2027T>A, c.589G>A, c.1707+5G>A, c.917insG, c.281C>T）, Mt12SrRNA（m.1555A>G, m.1494C>T） and GJB3 gene（c.538C>T）. The mutation detection rate and allele frequency were analyzed. Results:The overall mutation detection rate was 11.516%（2 419/21 006）, with the GJB2 gene being the most frequently involved at 9.097%（1 911/21 006）, followed by the SLC26A4 gene at 2.123%（446/21 006）, the GJB3 gene at 0.362%（76/21 006） and Mt12SrRNA at 0.176%（37/21 006）. Among the GJB2 genes, c.109G>A and c.235delC mutation detection rates were the highest, with 6.579%（1 382/21 006） and 1.795%（377/21 006）, respectively. Of the SLC26A4 genes, c.919-2A>G and c.2168A>G had the highest mutation rates of 1.423%（299/21 006） and 0.233%（49/21 106）, respectively. Regarding the allele frequency, GJB2 c.109G>A was the most common variant with an allele frequency of 3.359%（1 411/42 012）, followed by the GJB2 c.235delC at 0.897%（377/42 012） and the SLC26A4 c.919-2A>G at 0.719%（302/42 012）. Conclusion:23-site chip newborn deafness genetic screening in Beijing showed that GJB2 c.109G>A mutation detection rate and allele frequency were the highest. This study has enriched the epidemiological data of 23-site chip genetic screening mutation profiles for neonatal deafness, which can provide evidence for clinical practice.

Virtual Staff Training to Support Communication for Older Adults With Untreated Hearing Loss in Care Settings.

PURPOSE: The current quasi-experimental study aimed to develop and evaluate a virtual staff training on age-related hearing loss at a care organization for older adults. METHOD: Training included the use of affordable headset amplifiers and a hands-on activity in which hearing loss was simulated. Staff were encouraged to offer amplifiers to assist in communication given the high prevalence of untreated hearing loss among older adults and the increased communication difficulty that results from mask-wearing. RESULTS: Quantitative results (N = 51) from the pre/post questionnaire suggest that staff members gained knowledge about hearing loss and communication through the training session. Qualitative data over the 6-month post training suggest that some older adults had not only improved speech understanding but also improved quality of interactions with staff. The main reasons for not using the amplifiers were that staff would forget they had access to the amplifiers or the older adult would refuse to use the device. CONCLUSION: This article highlights successes of the training as well as ideas for future trainings suggested by staff members. A key finding was the need to identify a core group of staff members who would be charged with facilitating use of personal amplification for older adults in the organization. In addition, providing multiple brief trainings over time was suggested to improve adoption of good communication practices among staff. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 50(4), 48-56.].

Plasma Levels of Interferon Gamma associated with Hearing Loss and Hearing Loss Sensation through the Handicap Questionnaire Inventory for the Elderly Screening Version.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify the association between the auditory handicap found in the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening Version (HHIE-S) questionnaire and hearing loss and the plasma levels of inflammatory biomarkers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 76 participants, 67 (88%) females and 9 (12%) males, with a mean age of 70 years. Tonal threshold audiometry and self-assessment with HHIE-S questionnaire were performed to measure the plasma levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10; tumor necrosis factor alpha; and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) flow cytometry method. For all data analyzed, the significance level adopted was P < 0.05 and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: An inverse correlation was observed between the increase in plasma levels of IFN-γ and normal auditory handicap (P = 0.015; rs = -0.280). The severe handicap group showed an increase in the averages I (P = 0.005; rs = 0.350) and II (P = 0.016; rs = 0.368) in the right ear and the light/moderate handicap group increased the means I (P = 0.027; rs = 0.350) and II (P = 0.046; rs = 0.310) of the left ear. A statistically significant association was found between the speech recognition threshold (SRT) test results of the right ear and the severe handicap group (P = 0.002; rs = 0.271). CONCLUSIONS: There was an association between the increase in plasma levels of IFN-γ and normal auditory handicap. Additionally, statistically significant associations were observed between the mild/moderate and severe handicap groups with the increase in hearing means and an increase in SRT associated with the severe handicap group.