A study on presbycusis in patients with age-related macular degeneration

Objective: This study aims to investigate the prevalence and severity of presbycusis in individuals with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). By identifying the co-occurrence frequency of AMD and presbycusis, it seeks to raise awareness about the necessity of regular hearing assessments in this patient group. The loss of two essential senses—hearing and vision—can negatively affect individuals' physical, psychosocial, and functional well-being, leading to a significant decline in quality of life. The findings of this study are intended to highlight the importance of multidisciplinary approaches in clinical practice. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, two groups were compared: 102 AMD patients (52 males, 50 females), diagnosed with OCT and FFA and without any other ear pathology, and a control group of 102 age- and gender-matched individuals without any organic ear pathology causing hearing loss. All participants underwent pure tone audiometry, acoustic immittance testing, speech discrimination (SD), and speech reception threshold (SRT) assessments. Results: The prevalence of presbycusis in the AMD group was 73.5%, compared to 52.9% in the control group. A significant association was found between AMD and presbycusis (OR=2.47; 95% CI: 1.37–4.44). This association was particularly pronounced among male participants (OR=5.81; 95% CI: 2.25–14.96), whereas no significant difference was observed in females. Additionally, presbycusis severity was found to increase with advancing stages of AMD, with a significant rise in moderate to severe hearing loss in later stages. Conclusion: The prevalence of presbycusis is increased in individuals with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This finding highlights the importance of evaluating fundamental sensory functions, such as hearing and vision, in an integrated manner in the elderly population. The study may contribute to the development of multidisciplinary approaches and early intervention strategies. Keywords: Age-related macular degeneration, presbycusis, hearing loss, audiometry, sensory impairment