Vestibular Hypofunction in Patients with Presbycusis: A Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Geriatrics
• Neurology

Background:

• Vestibular hypofunction (VH) and hearing loss significantly impact elderly quality of life and can lead to disability.
• Few studies have investigated the combined prevalence of VH and presbycusis in older adults.
• Previous research yielded inconsistent results, possibly due to small sample sizes or varied vestibular assessment methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the occurrence of VH in patients diagnosed with presbycusis.
• To utilize the video head impulse test (vHIT) for specific and reliable VH assessment.
• To characterize the prevalence of VH in an aging population with bilateral age-related hearing loss.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, cross-sectional study involving 200 adults aged 50+ with bilateral age-related hearing loss.
• Participants underwent the video head impulse test (vHIT) for vestibular function assessment.
• Data collected included patient history, demographics, audiological, and clinical information. VH was defined by vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain <0.79 and corrective saccades.

Main Results:

• Vestibular hypofunction (VH) was identified in 6.0% (12/200) of patients with bilateral age-related hearing loss (ARHL).
• VH prevalence was 5.5% in the left ear, 2.5% in the right ear, and 2.0% bilaterally.
• This indicates approximately 1 in 17 patients with ARHL exhibited signs of VH.

Conclusions:

• Vestibular hypofunction is present in 6% of patients with bilateral symmetrical age-related sensorineural hearing loss.
• The findings suggest that vestibular screening may be beneficial for this at-risk population.
• vHIT is a reliable tool for assessing VH in older adults with hearing impairment.