Auditio

Sociodemographic and hearing profile of a population with sensorineural hearing loss in Chile

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0200

Background. Evidence-based information on genetic sensorineural hearing loss in Latin America is limited, hindering the advancement of related clinical practice and the development of relevant healthcare policies in the field. This study describes sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of a group of Chilean participants with congenital, childhood, progressive or late-onset sensorineural hearing loss of unknown etiology; all non-genetic causes of hearing loss were excluded. Methods. A quantitative study, with a non-experimental, observational, cross-sectional design and a descriptive scope. From 978 patients diagnosed with SNHL, 286 subjects fulfilled the inclusion criteria, and 138 patients accepted to participate. Results. The most frequent audiological-profile was symmetrical-bilateral-profound-SNHL with a sloping pattern. The median age at audiological diagnosis was 24.5 months (IQR:12-53) and at first-time Hearing-Assistive-Device-use (HAD-use) was 30 months (IQR:13-69). 71% of HAD were financed by public resources. Conclusion. The age at audiological diagnosis in SNHL of suspected genetic causes is still far from international standards. These results are valuable for public health research and policy development, not only for the Chilean population, but also for other Hispanic communities and other middle-high income countries.

Genetic, molecular and biochemical basis of the auditory aging: lessons from experimental models

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0200

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) affects one in three people older than 65 years and is the most prevalent sensorineural deficit. This type of hearing loss precedes and accelerates the onset of cognitive impairment and is associated with an increased risk for neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer disease. The onset and progression of ARHL is influenced by genetic factors, which are still poorly understood, and environmental factors, which in particular include exposure to excessive noise and ototoxic substances. At present, no effective drug treatments are available for ARHL prevention or treatment, and therefore research in this field is a priority. In the research field, animal models offer a crucial tool for i) identifying new genes associated with ARHL, ii) understanding the cellular and molecular basis of auditory ageing and iii) defining new therapeutic targets and evaluating candidate treatments.

Clinical approach to facial stimulation in cochlear implants

Gabriel Rosanigo, Verónica Del Vecchio, Sebastian Ausili — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Cochlear implants are currently one of the most successful neurosensory rehabilitation devices. They provide the possibility of hearing in people with severe to profound hearing loss who have had limited access to sounds with hearing aids. However, there are complications after its implantation, among which is the stimulation of the facial nerve. The main detriments produced by this unwanted stimulation are involuntary movements of the face or neck, discomfort or pain when using the implant, among others. In some cases, this happens only on few channels, but it can also appear on most or even all of them.

The current clinical approach to this problem mainly relies on changes in the programming of the device. The resources to reduce it range from changes in the type and mode of the electrical stimulation, to considering reimplantation in very complex cases. This article describes the problem of facial stimulation and its possible causes, as well as details the clinical solutions that currently exist. Finally, new approaches and future lines of research are discussed.

Description of the scientific-disciplinary reader profile of Spanish-speaking audiology professionals

Oscar M. Cañete, Paula Hernández Ricoy — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0200

Audiologists are recognized in Spain and most countries in Latin America and have practised in various fields for more than 40 years. Despite this, a paucity of information exists regarding audiologists’ engagement with scientific journals both as readers and authors alike. The aim of this paper was to describe the scientific-disciplinary reader profile of Spanish-speaking audiology professionals. A questionnaire was distributed online with 16 questions grouped into two sections: 1) General and demographic data and 2) Readership profile. A total of 200 questionnaires were completed. With the results, a qualitative analysis was performed and a summary was written for each question.

General audiology and hearing aids/amplification systems were found to be the areas of greatest interest among respondents (74% and 71%, respectively). In the readership profile section, 66% of respondents reported consulting scientific journals (at least once a month). The most common reason, given by 51% in this group, was to keep up to date. However, 81% of respondents reported never having published in a peer-reviewed journal. The main reason for not publishing was lack of confidence to write an article (51%). Despite audiologists showing a keen interest in reading audiology journals, only a small proportion submits articles for publication.

To the reviewers of AUDITIO during 2022: Thank you

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0100

AUDITIO’s editorial team wants to sincerely acknowledge the contributions of the reviewers during 2021.