Ana Paula Corona

Hearing handicap perception and hearing alterations in individuals with Parkinson's disease

Mailing address: Maysa Bastos Rabelo Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Fonoaudiologia Av. Reitor Miguel Calmon, s/n. Campus do Canela CEP: 40110-902 Salvador, Bahia, Brasil E-mail: maysa_bastos@yahoo.com.br ABSTRACT Purpose: to investigate the relationship between the perception of self-reported hearing impairment and the handicap with peripheral and central hearing alterations, in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Methods: individuals with Parkinson’s disease were seen and evaluated at a reference outpatient clinic for the treatment of movement disorders, between April and August 2015. All of them underwent basic audiological evaluation and hearing processing tests. The hearing handicap assessment was performed using the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly. As for the analysis of the relationship between hearing handicap perception and audiological, clinical and demographic variables, individuals were considered with or without perception, according to their score. Results: thirty-three individuals, mostly males, with a mean age of 63.7 years, took part in the study. There was a high frequency (n = 31) of peripheral or central hearing alterations in the study population. However, only 14 reported some difficulty in hearing, eight not presenting hearing handicap perception, two having mild-moderate perception and four showing a significant perception. Conclusion: the perceptions of hearing difficulties and the handicap are not related to audiological alterations in individuals presented with Parkinson’s disease.

Is there auditory impairment in Parkinson's disease?

Corresponding address: Marcia da Silva Lopes Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil Rua Hilton Rodrigues no 204501 CEP: 41830-630 – Salvador, Bahia, Brasil E-mail: marsilopes@yahoo.com.br ABSTRACT Objective: to describe the audiological profile of a group of patients with Parkinson’s disease and to investigate the association between hearing loss and the disease. Methods: 50 individuals with and 46 without Parkinson’s disease underwent Pure Tone Audiometry, Otoacoustic Emissions by Distortion Product, and auditory processing tests. The results of the patients were compared to those obtained in individuals without the disease, according to clinical and biological variables. Results: in individuals with Parkinson’s disease, 82% presented hearing loss, 53.5% alterations in Otoacoustic Emissions by Distortion Product, 78%, alterations in temporal processing , and 12%, changes in binaural integration. Individuals with the disease had a greater impairment in the recognition of duration patterns when compared to those without the disease, with a worse performance in men and in individuals aged between 42 and 65 years old and Hoehn and Yahr I and II stages. Conclusions: the profile found corresponds to descending sensorineural hearing loss and alteration in otoacoustic emissions, temporal ordering and noise gaps detection. Only losses in temporal order are associated with the disease, especially in men, individuals under the age of 65 and in the initial stage.Objective: to describe the audiological profile of a group of patients with Parkinson’s disease and to investigate the association between hearing loss and the disease. Methods: 50 individuals with and 46 without Parkinson’s disease underwent Pure Tone Audiometry, Otoacoustic Emissions by Distortion Product, and auditory processing tests. The results of the patients were compared to those obtained in individuals without the disease, according to clinical and biological variables. Results: in individuals with Parkinson’s disease, 82% presented hearing loss, 53.5% alterations in Otoacoustic Emissions by Distortion Product, 78%, alterations in temporal processing , and 12%, changes in binaural integration. Individuals with the disease had a greater impairment in the recognition of duration patterns when compared to those without the disease, with a worse performance in men and in individuals aged between 42 and 65 years old and Hoehn and Yahr I and II stages. Conclusions: the profile found corresponds to descending sensorineural hearing loss and alteration in otoacoustic emissions, temporal ordering and noise gaps detection.Only losses in temporal order are associated with the disease, especially in men, individuals under the age of 65 and in the initial stage.

Ear canal collapse prevalence and associated factors among users of a center of prevention and rehabilitation for disabilities

Purpose: to investigate the prevalence of the ear canal collapse when using supra-aural earphones and to verify if this event is influenced by sex, age, color of the skin and prominent ear. Methods: the collapse was assessed by a visual inspection after the positioning of a detached cushion, pressured against the external ear. Results: a total of 436 individuals, aged 3 to 97 years, participated in the study. Ear canal collapse was observed in 11.4% of the subjects, being mostly bilateral (90.0%). The prevalence ranged from 6.3% to 36.6% across age groups. Males, aged 65 years or above and presence of prominent ear were independently identified as associated factors for the occurrence of ear canal collapse (p<0.05). Despite a higher prevalence for those self-identified as white skinned when compared to non-whites, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: the ear canal collapse, when supra-aural earphones are used, is more likely to occur in men, in elderly people, and among those with prominent ears. The prevalence of the event in this population raises the necessity of a careful examination, previous to any evaluation using supra-aural earphones.

Retrocochlear impairments in systemic sclerosis: a case report study

PURPOSE To report three cases of patients with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) and retrocochlear impairments. METHODS This is a case report of three individuals with SSc and retrocochlear impairments assisted at a rheumatology outpatient clinic. All individuals underwent Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potential (BAEP) and, when necessary, audiometry. RESULTS All three individuals presented sensorineural hearing loss. Although no retrocochlear impairment was identified in the basic audiologic evaluation, the BAEP results were altered. CONCLUSION Retrocochlear impairments were present in the individuals under study, both in the absolute latencies and interpeak interval, thereby demanding the attention of rheumatologists and speech-language pathologists to such changes during the monitoring of SSc patients. The results also show a need for epidemiological studies on the theme.

Relação entre os achados audiológicos e a percepção da desvantagem auditiva

A perda auditiva se configura como a segunda maior incapacidade dentre os varios comprometimentos funcionais em idosos, acometendo aproximadamente 1/3 das pessoas com mais de 65 anos. Entre as alteracoes sensoriais inerentes a este processo, pode-se citar a presbiacusia, definida como a perda auditiva associada ao envelhecimento, uma das principais causas de isolamento social no idoso. Objetivo: verificar se existe relacao entre os achados audiologicos, a queixa de dificuldade para ouvir e a percepcao da desvantagem auditiva. Metodologia: trata-se de um estudo do tipo seccional de base ambulatorial, realizado entre abril e agosto de 2015. Os participantes responderam a ficha de coleta desenvolvida para pesquisa, constando os dados socidemograficos e queixas otoneurologicas, realizaram a avaliacao audiologica basica e o questionario Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly. Resultados: o estudo foi composto por 22 individuos, a maioria foi do sexo feminino, com idade variando entre 56 e 86 anos, com media de 66,7 anos. Os resultados do presente estudo revelaram elevada frequencia de alteracao audiologica na populacao estudada, caracterizada por perda auditiva com maior comprometimento nas altas frequencias. Porem, poucos individuos referiram dificuldade para ouvir ou apresentaram percepcao da desvantagem auditiva. Conclusao: o perfil audiologico dos individuos analisados nao favorece a percepcao da desvantagem auditiva.

Perda auditiva associada à exposição ocupacional a solventes orgânicos: uma revisão sistemática

Introduction: evidences indicate chemicals as potentially otoneurotoxic agents; however, there is no consensus as to the associations between exposure characteristics and the ototoxicity of different chemicals present in industrial environments. Objective: to review the available scientific literature in order to identify studies that point to evidence of association, or non-association, between hearing impairment and occupational exposure to organic solvents. Method: systematic review of the literature, through query on electronic databases, considering only original articles, published from January 1987 to February 2013. Results: thirty-one studies were included in the systematic review. Discussion: studies have confirmed exposure to certain solvents as a risk factor for occupational hearing loss, especially in the presence of noise. Various assessment and classification methods were used regarding cochlear and/or central hearing impairment, contributing to the understanding of the extent of chemical-induced hearing loss as well as to the identification of populations at risk. However, data on appropriate diagnostic procedures, safe levels of chemical exposure and dose-response effect have not yet been fully elucidated.

Potenciais evocados auditivos do tronco encefálico na doença de Parkinson: revisão sistemática

Introducao : A doenca de Parkinson (DP) e uma enfermidade neurodegenerativa associada ao envelhecimento. Os comprometimentos auditivos, embora frequentes em idosos, nao sao claramente estabelecidos na doenca. Objetivo : Identificar a presenca de processos fisiopatologicos na conducao neural das vias auditivas aferentes na DP. Metodo : Trata-se de uma revisao sistematica, conduzida a partir da identificacao de estudos nas bases de dados PUBMED, Web of Science, SCOOPUS, MEDLINE, LILACS, SciELO e Cochrane, utilizando a combinacao dos termos Parkinson’s disease , hearing , auditory perception , hearing disorders , hearing tests , auditory processing e auditory evoked potentials . Foram incluidos artigos em ingles, portugues ou espanhol que investigaram os Potenciais Evocados Auditivos do Tronco Encefalico (PEATE) em sujeitos com DP. Realizou-se a descricao dos resultados e analise da qualidade metodologica dos estudos. Resultados : Dos 622 artigos identificados, foram selecionados 11 estudos publicados entre 1981 e 2012. Em sete estudos foi verificado prolongamento das latencias do PEATE nos sujeitos com DP em relacao aos controles. Por outro lado, em quatro investigacoes as respostas dos sujeitos com DP foram classificadas como normais. Verificou-se fragilidades no delineamento metodologico dos estudos analisados quanto a selecao dos sujeitos, acuracia da exposicao, determinacao do desfecho principal e controle de variaveis confundidoras. Conclusao : A presenca de alteracoes na conducao neuroeletrofisiologica na DP e controversa, havendo necessidade de estudos conduzidos com maior rigor metodologico quanto ao desfecho de analise, selecao dos sujeitos e controle de variaveis confundidoras. O presente estudo contribui com informacoes que podem favorecer decisoes metodologicas para o desenvolvimento de investigacoes futuras sobre o tema.