Nicole Tin-Lok Jiam1, Carol Li2, Yuri Agrawal3. 1. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. 2. Department of Otolaryngology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, U.S.A. 3. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. yagrawa1@jhmi.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Falls are a devastating condition in older individuals. Identifying potentially modifiable risk factors such as hearing loss would provide a substantial public health benefit. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the current evidence for an association between hearing loss and falls risk. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search of PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases was performed in July 2014. STUDY ELIGIBILITY: Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were published in the peer-reviewed literature. All studies used a predetermined definition of hearing loss. Main outcomes and measurements were fall hospitalization records or self-reports of falls by structured interview or validated questionnaires. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS: Two investigators independently reviewed the literature related to hearing loss, falls, and older adults. We pooled effect sizes from across the studies and performed a meta-analysis to compute an overall effect size. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Twelve eligible studies were identified. The odds of falling were 2.39 times greater among older adults with hearing loss than older adults with normal hearing (pooled odds ratio 2.39, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.11-2.68). In sensitivity analyses, we restricted the meta-analysis to studies where hearing loss was audiometrically defined (N = 6) and observed hearing loss to be associated with a 69% increase in the odds of falling (pooled odds ratio 1.69, 95% CI: 1.18-2.19). When we further limited to studies that also performed multivariate regression analyses (N = 4), the overall effect size did not appreciably change (pooled odds ratio 1.72, 95% CI: 1.07-2.37). We observed a potential positive publication bias in the literature. Limitations of the systematic review and meta-analysis are the cross-sectional designs of most studies and the heterogeneity across studies (Q = 631, P < .05, I2 = 98.1%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In the published literature, hearing loss is associated with a significantly increased odds of falling in older adults. These findings need to be interpreted in light of the potential for positive publication bias in the literature on this topic. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 126:2587-2596, 2016.
BACKGROUND: Falls are a devastating condition in older individuals. Identifying potentially modifiable risk factors such as hearing loss would provide a substantial public health benefit. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the current evidence for an association between hearing loss and falls risk. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search of PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases was performed in July 2014. STUDY ELIGIBILITY: Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were published in the peer-reviewed literature. All studies used a predetermined definition of hearing loss. Main outcomes and measurements were fall hospitalization records or self-reports of falls by structured interview or validated questionnaires. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS: Two investigators independently reviewed the literature related to hearing loss, falls, and older adults. We pooled effect sizes from across the studies and performed a meta-analysis to compute an overall effect size. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Twelve eligible studies were identified. The odds of falling were 2.39 times greater among older adults with hearing loss than older adults with normal hearing (pooled odds ratio 2.39, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.11-2.68). In sensitivity analyses, we restricted the meta-analysis to studies where hearing loss was audiometrically defined (N = 6) and observed hearing loss to be associated with a 69% increase in the odds of falling (pooled odds ratio 1.69, 95% CI: 1.18-2.19). When we further limited to studies that also performed multivariate regression analyses (N = 4), the overall effect size did not appreciably change (pooled odds ratio 1.72, 95% CI: 1.07-2.37). We observed a potential positive publication bias in the literature. Limitations of the systematic review and meta-analysis are the cross-sectional designs of most studies and the heterogeneity across studies (Q = 631, P < .05, I2 = 98.1%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In the published literature, hearing loss is associated with a significantly increased odds of falling in older adults. These findings need to be interpreted in light of the potential for positive publication bias in the literature on this topic. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 126:2587-2596, 2016.
Authors: Jan Löhler; Mario Cebulla; Wafaa Shehata-Dieler; Stefan Volkenstein; Christiane Völter; Leif Erik Walther Journal: Dtsch Arztebl Int Date: 2019-04-26 Impact factor: 5.594
Authors: Jennifer A Deal; Nicholas S Reed; Alexander D Kravetz; Heather Weinreich; Charlotte Yeh; Frank R Lin; Aylin Altan Journal: JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg Date: 2019-01-01 Impact factor: 6.223
Authors: Pablo Martinez-Amezcua; Pei-Lun Kuo; Nicholas S Reed; Eleanor M Simonsick; Yuri Agrawal; Frank R Lin; Jennifer A Deal; Luigi Ferrucci; Jennifer A Schrack Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2021-09-13 Impact factor: 6.053