FATORES DE RISCO PARA PERDA AUDITIVA EM IDOSOS

Objetivo: Identificar os fatores de risco relacionados a perda auditiva sensorioneural em idosos. Metodos: Casuistica constituida por 60 pacientes idosos separados em dois grupos: o Grupo de Caso, composto por 30 idosos, 21 do sexo feminino e 9 do sexo masculino, com idade minima de 60 anos de idade, apresentando perda auditiva sensorioneural; e o Grupo Controle, composto por 30 idosos, pareados por genero e idade, apresentando audicao normal. Os pacientes foram submetidos a anamnese audiologica e audiometria tonal. O comprometimento auditivo foi definido de acordo com media de limiar maior que 35dBNA, nas frequencias de 1000, 2000 e 4000 Hz, na melhor orelha. Resultados: As razoes de chances estatisticamente significantes foram: a) para historia audiologica: exposicao a ruido e historia familiar de surdez; b) para situacoes de dificuldade auditiva: televisao, igreja, telefone, ambiente silencioso, localizar sons, dificuldade com vozes e ambiente ruidoso; c) para historia otologica: zumbido, otorreia e nauseas; e d) para historia medica: problemas visuais, fumo, alcool, problemas na tireoide e doencas renais. Conclusao: Os achados do estudo evidenciaram, para a perda auditiva sensorioneural no idoso, fatores de risco relacionados a historia audiologica, otologica e medica, e as situacoes de dificuldade auditiva. Objective: To identify risk factors related to sensorineural hearing loss in elderly. Methods: The sample consisted of 60 selected elderly, divided into two groups: the Case Group, composed by 30 individuals, 21 females and 9 males, aged at least 60 years, presenting sensorineural hearing loss, and the Control Group, composed by 30 individuals matched on gender and age, with normal hearing. The patients were submitted to audiological anamnesis and tonal audiometry. The hearing impairment was defined according to average threshold greater than 35dBNA, in the frequencies of 1,000; 2,000 and 4,000 Hz, in the best ear. Results: Statistically significant odds ratios were: a) to audiological history: noise exposure and family history of deafness; b) to situations involving hearing difficulty: television, church, telephone, silent environment, spatial location of sound, difficulty with voices and noisy environment; c) to otologic history: tinnitus, otorrhea and nausea; and d) to medical history: visual problems, smoke, alcohol, thyroid problems and kidney disease. Conclusion: The findings of this study highlighted, for sensorineural hearing loss, risk factors related to audiologic, otologic and medical history, and to situations involving hearing difficulty.