Hokkinen Kaisa, Dietz Aarno, Lampela Pasi, Hartikainen Sirpa, Tolppanen Anna-Maija
Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care, School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1, Kuopio, 70210, Finland.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
BMC Geriatr. 2025 Aug 12;25(1):615. doi: 10.1186/s12877-025-06317-6.
Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a risk factor for cognitive impairment, but little is known on whether the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects the diagnosis of SNHL. We studied the temporal changes in the incidence of SNHL diagnosis in relation to AD diagnosis.
This study is part of Medicine use and Alzheimer's disease cohort (MEDALZ) study. Our nationwide register-based study included 42,934 community-dwelling persons who received a clinically verified AD diagnosis in 2008-2011 in Finland and a 1:1 matched comparison cohort. We calculated the incidence of SNHL diagnoses per 100 person-years (PY) from ten years before to five years after the date of AD diagnosis (index date).
Before the index date, the incidence of SNHL diagnoses was higher among persons with AD (1.51/100 PY) than in the comparison cohort (1.34/100 PY, adjusted hazard ratio, 95%Cl 1.10, 1.06-1.13). After AD diagnosis the incidence was lower among persons with AD (1.05 and 1.66/100 PY, adjusted hazard ratio, 95%Cl 0.60, 0.56-0.62). The incidence increased in a similar manner in both groups before the AD diagnosis. In the AD group the incidence peaked at the index date, but steeply declined shortly after, while in the comparison cohort, it continued its previous ascending course.
The incidence of SNHL diagnosis declines after AD diagnosis, suggesting that AD may alter diagnostic trajectories and access to audiological care.
感音神经性听力损失（SNHL）是认知障碍的一个危险因素，但关于阿尔茨海默病（AD）的诊断是否会影响SNHL的诊断，人们知之甚少。我们研究了与AD诊断相关的SNHL诊断发病率的时间变化。
本研究是药物使用与阿尔茨海默病队列（MEDALZ）研究的一部分。我们基于全国登记的研究纳入了42934名居住在社区的人，他们于2008年至2011年在芬兰接受了经临床验证的AD诊断，并设立了一个1:1匹配的对照队列。我们计算了从AD诊断日期（索引日期）前十年到后五年每100人年（PY）的SNHL诊断发病率。
在索引日期之前，AD患者中SNHL诊断的发病率（1.51/100 PY）高于对照队列（1.34/100 PY，调整后的风险比，95%Cl 1.10，1.06 - 1.13）。AD诊断后，AD患者中的发病率较低（1.05和1.66/100 PY，调整后的风险比，95%Cl 0.60，0.56 - 0.62）。在AD诊断之前，两组的发病率以相似的方式增加。在AD组中，发病率在索引日期达到峰值，但之后不久急剧下降，而在对照队列中，它继续其先前的上升趋势。
AD诊断后SNHL诊断的发病率下降，这表明AD可能会改变诊断轨迹和获得听力保健的机会。
