(Press-News.org) April 30, 2024, ALEXANDRIA, Virginia —The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) published the Clinical Practice Guideline: Age-Related Hearing Loss today in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. This clinical practice guideline (CPG) sheds lights on a global public health problem affecting approximately 466 million people worldwide and identifies quality improvement opportunities and provide clinicians trustworthy, evidence-based recommendations regarding the identification and management of age-related hearing loss (ARHL) in patients 50 years and older.
“Age-related hearing loss is underdiagnosed and undertreated despite being the most common sensory deficit in the aging population. With almost 50% of the population over 75 reporting hearing loss, having a clinical practice guideline allows all clinicians to provide better healthcare to those with hearing loss based on research and best practices. Not only does this CPG provide screening recommendations and management of the hearing loss, it also educates clinicians and care partners how to communicate with those suffering from hearing loss,” said Betty S. Tsai Do, MD, the CPG Development Group Chair.
ARHL is the most common sensory disorder in the older population. Between ages of 65 to 74, one in three adults experience hearing loss. ARHL is a type of hearing loss that occurs over time as individuals age. It develops gradually and symmetrically, meaning it affects both ears similarly and is associated with various sociodemographic factors and health risks including dementia, depression, cardiovascular disease, and falls. It is caused by both genetic and environmental factors such as exposure to loud noises, medication that can harm the ears, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption.
This guideline presents clinicians with an evidenced-based framework, which includes 11 evidenced-based Key Action Statements (KAS), to prioritize identifying patients at risk of ARHL as well as managing it.
“I am excited to see a key action statement focusing on social determinants of health and how it impacts access and patient preferences on the management of hearing healthcare. The focus of individualized healthcare is the future of medicine, and as such, it is important that this CPG incorporated that into the recommendations,” shared Dr. Tsai Do.
The ARHL CPG recommends that all patients aged 50 and above should be screened for hearing loss because detecting hearing loss early and taking appropriate steps can help minimize the negative effects associated with untreated hearing loss.
“Our guideline development group used the AAO-HNSF methodology to create evidence-based recommendations on the management of age-related hearing loss. We hope that the CPG will be useful in improving awareness and decreasing the morbidity of untreated age-related hearing loss in an effort to improve a patient’s overall health and quality of life,” said Dr. Tsai Do.
The guideline development group (GDG) consisted of experts in otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat), otology (ear), audiology (hearing), neurology (nervous system, including the brain), geriatrics (care of aging population) and primary care. The group also included a consumer representative, a public health expert, and staff members from the AAO-HNSF.
More information is available at https://www.entnet.org/quality-practice/quality-products/clinical-practice-guidelines/cpg-age-related-hearing-loss/
Members of the media who wish to request an interview or obtain a copy of the guideline should contact: Tina Maggio at 703-535-3762, or newsroom@entnet.org.
About the AAO-HNS/F
The AAO-HNS/F is one of the world’s largest organizations representing specialists who treat the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. Otolaryngologist–head and neck surgeons diagnose and treat medical disorders that are among the most common affecting patients of all ages in the United States and around the world. Those medical conditions include chronic ear disease, hearing and balance disorders, hearing loss, sinusitis, snoring and sleep apnea, allergies, swallowing disorders, nosebleeds, hoarseness, dizziness, and tumors of the head and neck as well as aesthetic and reconstructive surgery and intricate micro-surgical procedures of the head and neck. The Academy has approximately 13,000 members.
END
New clinical practice guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for Age-related Hearing Loss (ARHL)
2024-04-30
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Low-intensity grazing is locally better for biodiversity but challenging for land users, a new study shows
2024-04-30
The grazing of both domestic and wild animals is shaping landscapes across Europe. It can also contribute to multiple ecosystem services, such as providing habitat for biodiversity. Grazing systems with lower densities of animals and with minimal and only targeted applications of deworming and other medicinal treatments offer benefits for local biodiversity protection and various ecosystem services. However, this type of land management also poses a range of challenges, leading to a constant decline in the number of land users engaged in low-intensity grazing. A team of researchers led by iDiv, UL, and UFZ set out to investigate these ...
An omega-6 fatty acid may reduce the risk for bipolar disorder
2024-04-30
Philadelphia, April 30, 2024 – A genetic propensity to higher circulating levels of lipids containing arachidonic acid, an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid found in eggs, poultry, and seafood, has been found to be linked with a lower risk for bipolar disorder, according to a new study in Biological Psychiatry, published by Elsevier. This new evidence paves the way for potential lifestyle or dietary interventions.
Bipolar disorder is a debilitating mood disorder characterized by recurring episodes of mania and depression. Although its etiology is still unclear, previous studies have shown that ...
New breast cancer screening recommendations aim to address health inequities, especially among Black women
2024-04-30
In an effort to improve early detection of breast cancer and address disparities in outcomes, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued updated breast cancer screening recommendations to now advise all women to undergo routine screening every other year starting at age 40 —representing a significant shift from previous guidelines, which recommended screening starting at age 50 and engaging in individualized decision-making for women aged 40 to 49.
The revised guidelines aim to enhance early detection of breast cancer and tackle disparities in breast cancer mortality, particularly among Black women, who are more likely to have aggressive ...
AGS honors expert and emerging geriatrics leaders at 2024 virtual annual scientific meeting (#AGS24)
2024-04-30
New York (April 30, 2024) – The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) annually honors researchers, clinicians, educators, and emerging health professionals who have made outstanding contributions to high-quality, person-centered care for older adults. This year’s award recipients include 19 leaders representing the breadth of medical disciplines championing care for us all as we age.
Choosing Wisely Champion Award
Paras Goel, PT, DPT, Med, MBA, GCS
Clinical Student Research Award
Elizabeth Margaret Ann Kelly
Clinician of the Year Award
Joyce Fogel, MD
David ...
Protecting endangered monkeys from poachers, habitat loss
2024-04-30
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Tai Forest Monkey Project has operated a research field station in west Africa’s Ivory Coast for 30 years, but on the one day since its opening that the site was unstaffed because of conflict in nearby Liberia, poachers took advantage – and killed 18 endangered monkeys.
The anecdote is a telling example, scientists say, of how thousands of field stations studying primates in forests around the world not only generate knowledge about these threatened species, but also contribute to ...
China’s bid to decarbonize may have hidden costs
2024-04-30
ITHACA, N.Y. – Environmentalists rejoiced when China announced its commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2060, but the decarbonization of China – which emits 27% of global carbon dioxide and a third of the world’s greenhouse gases – may come with hidden costs and hard environmental choices, according to new research.
In a paper published in Communications Earth & Environment, Stefano Galelli, associate professor at Cornell University’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and colleagues attempt to quantify how decarbonizing the China Southern Power Grid, which provides electricity ...
Climate change and mercury pollution stressed plants for millions of years
2024-04-30
The link between massive flood basalt volcanism and the end-Triassic (201 million years ago) mass-extinction is commonly accepted. However, exactly how volcanism led to the collapse of ecosystems and the extinction of entire families of organisms is difficult to establish. Extreme climate change from the release of carbon dioxide, degradation of the ozone layer due to the injection of damaging chemicals, and the emissions of toxic pollutants, are all seen as contributing factors. One toxic element stands out: ...
Stowers Institute for Medical Research appoints new Assistant Investigator
2024-04-30
KANSAS CITY, MO—April 30, 2024—The Stowers Institute for Medical Research announces the appointment of Kamena Kostova, Ph.D., as its newest Principal Investigator. Kostova, an accomplished cellular and molecular biologist, will join the Institute in Fall 2024 as an Assistant Investigator. She brings with her an established research program focused on understanding cellular responses to ribosome breakdown and the relationship these responses have with complex diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration.
Kostova is currently ...
Science council: “Tasks excellently fulfilled”
2024-04-30
The German Science and Humanities Council (Science Council) assessed the German Fed-eral Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) in Berlin on 7 and 8 November 2023 and published its assessment today, 22 April 2024. As the highest German scientific commission, it certi-fies that the BfR “fulfills tasks of great social relevance” (protection of human health, in-forming the public about health risks posed by chemicals and biological substances) “on the basis of very good research”. It is characterised by an “extremely rapid response capability, a pronounced application orientation and a high degree of being up-to-date with its topics”. “We are delighted ...
USC-led study introduces a new and improved way to grow the cells that give rise to the kidney’s filtration system
2024-04-30
In a new study published in Cell Stem Cell, USC scientists report significant progress in cultivating nephron progenitor cells (NPCs), the cells destined to form the kidney’s filtration system, the nephrons. NPCs hold immense promise for understanding kidney development, modeling diseases, and discovering new treatments.
“By enhancing our capability to grow NPCs from human stem cells, we create a new avenue for understanding and combating congenital kidney diseases and cancer,” said corresponding and lead author Zhongwei Li, an assistant professor of medicine, and stem cell biology and regenerative medicine ...