Bibek Gyanwali1, Saima Hilal2, Narayanaswamy Venketasubramanian3, Christopher Chen1, Jenny Hooi Yin Loo4. 1. Memory Aging & Cognition Centre, National University Health System, Singapore; Department of Pharmacology, National University of Singapore, Singapore. 2. Memory Aging & Cognition Centre, National University Health System, Singapore; Department of Pharmacology, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Departments of Epidemiology and Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore. 3. Raffles Neuroscience Centre, Raffles Hospital, Singapore. 4. Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National University Hospital, Singapore; Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National University Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address: jenny_loo@nuhs.edu.sg.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hearing loss and hearing handicap may contribute to cognitive impairment and dementia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between hearing loss and hearing handicap with dementia in an Asian memory clinic parents. METHODS: This study includes the data obtained from patients with mild dementia who attended the National University hospital memory clinic and non-demented healthy subjects among spouses and caregivers who are non-genetically related to our patients. All participants underwent comprehensive physical, medical, neuropsychological and audiological assessments (i.e. pure tone audiometry - PTA). Disabling hearing loss was defined as a hearing loss of >40 dB in the better ear on PTA. Amsterdam Inventory for Auditory Disability and Handicap (AIADH) questionnaire was administered through the verbal interview to measure their hearing handicap score. Linear regression models were used to investigate the association between hearing loss and hearing handicap with dementia. Mean differences (β) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. RESULTS: 91 participants (65-90 years old) were recruited for this study; 39 of them were patients with dementia and 52 were non-demented healthy controls. 48.7% of the patients with dementia had disabling hearing loss, which is higher than the non-demented controls (25.0%) (p = 0.019). The significant association between hearing handicap (as measured by AIADH) and dementia was observed, which was independent of demographic factors and audiology related history and PTA average (β = -6.40; 95% CI =0.11.99, -0.81, p = 0.025). There was no independent association between hearing loss and dementia (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: A significant association between hearing handicap and dementia was found. The mechanism of this association requires further research and may involve higher order central processing disorder.
BACKGROUND:Hearing loss and hearing handicap may contribute to cognitive impairment and dementia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the association between hearing loss and hearing handicap with dementia in an Asian memory clinic parents. METHODS: This study includes the data obtained from patients with mild dementia who attended the National University hospital memory clinic and non-demented healthy subjects among spouses and caregivers who are non-genetically related to our patients. All participants underwent comprehensive physical, medical, neuropsychological and audiological assessments (i.e. pure tone audiometry - PTA). Disabling hearing loss was defined as a hearing loss of >40 dB in the better ear on PTA. Amsterdam Inventory for Auditory Disability and Handicap (AIADH) questionnaire was administered through the verbal interview to measure their hearing handicap score. Linear regression models were used to investigate the association between hearing loss and hearing handicap with dementia. Mean differences (β) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. RESULTS: 91 participants (65-90 years old) were recruited for this study; 39 of them were patients with dementia and 52 were non-demented healthy controls. 48.7% of the patients with dementia had disabling hearing loss, which is higher than the non-demented controls (25.0%) (p = 0.019). The significant association between hearing handicap (as measured by AIADH) and dementia was observed, which was independent of demographic factors and audiology related history and PTA average (β = -6.40; 95% CI =0.11.99, -0.81, p = 0.025). There was no independent association between hearing loss and dementia (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: A significant association between hearing handicap and dementia was found. The mechanism of this association requires further research and may involve higher order central processing disorder.
Authors: Fiona Höbler; Katherine S McGilton; Walter Wittich; Kate Dupuis; Marilyn Reed; Shirley Dumassais; Paul Mick; M Kathleen Pichora-Fuller Journal: J Alzheimers Dis Date: 2021 Impact factor: 4.472