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Hearing Problems (hearing + problem)

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Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

Hearing problems among a cohort of nationally certified EMS professionals

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2010
Antonio R. Fernandez MS, NREMT-P
Abstract Purpose The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of hearing problems among a national cohort of emergency medical service (EMS) professionals, determine factors associated with hearing problems, and estimate the percentage of EMS professionals who utilize hearing protection. Methods Utilizing results from a questionnaire, individuals who reported hearing problems were compared to individuals who had not. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify variables associated with hearing problems. Finally, items regarding use of hearing protection were assessed to estimate the percentage of usage among EMS professionals. Results In total, 1,058 (57%) participants responded to the questionnaire. Of those, 1,024 (97%) who completed the hearing problems question were utilized for analysis. There were 153 (14.9%) cases of self-reported hearing problems. The final logistic regression model included lifetime occupational noise exposure 0.99 (95% CI,=,0.9997,1.0002), report of previous back problems (odds ratio (OR),=,2.74, 95% CI,=,1.8340,4.1042), large community size (OR,=,1.67, 95% CI,=,1.1211,2.4843), and minority status (OR,=,0.61, 95% CI,=,0.3719,0.9867). Finally, 213 (20.8%) individuals reported utilizing some form of hearing protection at their main EMS job. Conclusion The results from this analysis are the first national estimates of the prevalence of self reported hearing problems among EMS professionals. This study was also the first to estimate the percentage of EMS professionals who self reported the utilization of hearing protection. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:264,275, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

A contiguous deletion syndrome of X-linked agammaglobulinemia and sensorineural deafness

PEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 2 2001
Darko Richter
Hearing loss in patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia is often attributed to recurrent infections. However, recent genetic studies suggest a different etiology in some patients. We present three unrelated patients, 6, 9, and 14 years of age, with large deletions of the terminal portion of the Bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk) gene extending 4.2,19 kb beyond the 3, end of the gene. The DNA immediately downstream of the 3, end of Btk contains the deafness-dystonia protein gene (DDP). Mutations in this gene have recently been shown to underlie the Mohr,Tranebjaerg syndrome, which is characterized by sensorineural deafness, dystonia, and mental deficiency. Besides the immunodeficiency, our patients exhibited progressive sensorineural deafness. The clue to an associated hearing problem was delayed development of speech in one patient and post-lingual deafness noticed between the age of 3,4 years in the other two. These patients have not yet exhibited significant associated neurologic deficits. [source]

Effect of improvement in anemia on electroneurophysiological markers (P300) of cognitive dysfunction in chronic kidney disease

HEMODIALYSIS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2006
Narinder P. SINGH
Abstract Our aim is to study the effect of improvement in anemia on event-related potentials (ERPs; P300) as markers of cognitive dysfunction in predialysis and dialysis patients of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Thirty anemic patients of CKD (hemoglobin [Hb]<9 g%), 15 in the predialysis group (Group A), and 15 patients on biweekly hemodialysis (Group B) were recruited for the study. Patients of uremic encephalopathy, dyselectrolytemia, and those with hearing problems were excluded. Both groups were given recombinant human erythropoietin (rhuEPO) 100 IU/kg biweekly for 6 weeks by the subcutaneous route. No intervention was performed in the third control group (Group C), which consisted of 30 normal healthy volunteers. The improvement in Hb was assessed every 2 weeks, and the amplitude and latency of the P300 component of the ERPs were studied before initiating treatment and after 6 weeks of rhuEPO administration. There was a significant increase in Hb in both the study groups without any significant alteration in kidney functions. A significant reduction in P300 latency was noted in both the study groups after intervention. Similarly, the amplitude of P300 also increased in both study groups, but attained statistical significance for the dialysis group only. No significant changes were observed in the control group. Administration of EPO in patients of anemia with CKD resulted in a significant improvement in the electrophysiological markers of cognitive function in the form of increased amplitudes and decreased latencies of P300 in both predialysis and dialysis patients. [source]

Depression status as a reliable predictor of functional decline among Japanese community-dwelling older adults: a 12-year population-based prospective cohort study

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 11 2009
Hajime Iwasa
Abstract Objective This study aimed to examine a longitudinal relationship between depression status and functional decline among Japanese community-dwelling older adults, using a 12-year population-based, prospective cohort study design. Method A total of 710 men and women, aged 65 years and over, participated in the study. Katz's Index and the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence were used to measure the functional capacities of basic activities of daily living (BADL) and higher-level competence, respectively. For the purpose of analysis, a decline in each subscale of functional capacity during the follow-up period were used as outcome variables; depression status assessed by the Japanese version of the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), with a cut-off of 11, was used as an independent variable; and age, gender, education level, history of chronic disease, hospitalization, smoking, physical activity, living alone, hearing problems, physical pain, dietary habits, and usual walking speed at baseline were used as covariates. Results Use of the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for potential confounders showed that depression status was significantly and independently associated with BADL decline (risk ratio (RR),=,1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13,1.89) and with higher-level competence decline (RR,=,1.56, 95% CI: 1.18,2.04). Conclusion Our study found an independent relationship between depression status and longitudinal change in functional capacity among community-dwelling older individuals, suggesting that depression status is a reliable predictor of functional decline (both of BADL decline and higher-level competence decline) in older adults. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Combined hearing and visual impairment and depression in a population aged 75 years and older

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 9 2002
Taina Lupsakko
Abstract Background Depression is associated with both visual and hearing impairment. Little is known about the relationship between combined hearing and visual impairment and mood in this age group. The aim of this population-based study was to investigate the association between functional sensory impairment, especially combined sensory impairment and depressive symptoms and depression diagnosed according to the DSM-IV criteria. Method The study group consisted of 470 adults, population-based sample, aged 75 years or older. We used the Snellen eye charts with E-letters and reading charts to evaluate the functional visual acuity. The ability to conduct a face-to-face conversation, the hearing aid use and the self-reported hearing problems were used to assess the functional hearing acuity. Depression was identified with two different methods. A geriatrician interviewed the subjects and the DSM-IV checklist was used to determine whether they met the criteria for major depression. The Zung Depression Status Inventory (DSI) was used to identify depressive symptoms. The cut off points of 40/80 and 48/80 in the DSI-score was used. Results Seventy-two persons (15%) of the study population had depression diagnosed according to the DSM-IV criteria. Twelve per cent of subjects in the Functional Hearing Impairment (FHI) group, twenty per cent in the Functional Visual Impairment (FVI) group, eighteen per cent in the Combined Sensory Impairment (CSI) group and fifteen per cent in the Adequate Sensory Function (ASF) group suffered major depression. The differences between these groups were insignificant. The occurrence rates of the DSI score equal or over 40 points was 50% in the FHI group, 53% in the FVI group, 70% in the CSI group and 45% in the ASF group. The difference between the ASF group and sensory impairment group including FHI, FVI and CSI groups was statistically significant (p,=,0.03). Conclusions Depressive symptoms, but not major depression, were common if elderly persons had combined sensory impairment. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Post-natal hearing loss in universal neonatal hearing screening communities: Current limitations and future directions

JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 3 2008
Nicole Hutt
Abstract: Universal hearing screening has dramatically improved outcomes for babies born with detectable hearing abnormalities; yet there are some infants who develop significant hearing problems after passing a neonatal screen. There is much conjecture as to the number and the characteristics of infants with post-natal hearing losses; yet evidence suggests that many children may be affected, and that a large proportion have no discoverable cause. Currently, screening programmes use lists of risk factors to enrol babies into surveillance programmes. This practice is problematic because audiological follow-ups are expensive and under-utilised, and parental disclosure is often inaccurate. The large databases from universal neonatal programmes could inform the development of effective, evidence-based practice and policy for the detection and intervention of children who develop post-natal hearing losses. [source]