[The efficacy of modified mini-mental state examination in patients with severe to profound hearing loss]

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of modified mini-mental state examination（MMSE） in elderly patients with severe to profound hearing loss. Methods:A total of 24 elderly patients with severe to profound hearing loss from April to June 2019 were involved. Severe to profound hearing loss was defined by a pure-tone average of hearing thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz in the better-hearing ear. Modified and original MMSE was completed for the patients at first visit. Two weeks later, they all return hospital and MMSE were carried out by the other method. The aggregate score and subitem score of MMSE by modified and original instrument were analyzed. The degree of cognitive impairment evaluated by two methods were compared. Results:Among the 24 patients, the mean MMSE score by routine method and improved method were 10.88±9.70 and 25.29±3.70（P<0.01）. The average score of sub-items of MMSE with routine method and improved method are as follows: orientation 3.21±4.03 vs 8.71±1.92（P<0.01）, registration 1.04±1.33 vs 2.79±0.51（P<0.01）, attention and calculation 1.63±2.02 vs 4.00±1.41（P<0.01）, recall 0.79±1.14 vs 2.50±0.72（P<0.01）, language 4.21±2.11 vs 7.29±1.33（P<0.01）. Compared with the routine method, the degree of cognitive impairment getting better in 83.3% patients with improved method, meanwhile, 16.7% of the patients remain the same and no deterioration. Conclusion:The routine method of MMSE should be improved to seek the real cognitive state of the patients with severe to profound hearing loss.