title: Audiological study of an elderly Brazilian population.
abstract: The Brazilian elderly population is growing, and already represents 8,6% of our total population. Environmental factors, lifestyle, gender and genetics impact the development of presbycusis, which reduces quality of life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  investigate audiologic and vestibular complaints in the elderly; perform tonal audiometry and check to see if there are differences between genders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional clinical prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  320 elderly patients (160 men and 160 women) were submitted to audiologic interview and tonal audiometry. The results were statistically analyzed by the following methods: ANOVA, Mann-Whitney and Chi-Squared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  audiologic and vestibular complaints (hearing loss, tinnitus, ear fullness, dizziness) were similar between the genders (except for dizziness: p<0,05); tonal audiometry showed a significant difference, with hearing loss in the high frequencies among men; and among women the curves were descending and flat. These results were statistically significant (P<0,001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  our results lead us to conclude that, when the genders are compared, hearing loss in the elderly has similar symptoms; however, there are significant differences in tonal audiometry.
authors.affiliation: University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luís Cláudio
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: do Carmo
authors.forename: José Alexandre
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Médicis da Silveira
authors.forename: Sílvio Antônio Monteiro
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Marone
authors.forename: Fabiana Gonçalez
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: D'Ottaviano
authors.forename: Ludmila Lima
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Zagati
authors.forename: Eliane Maria
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Dias von Söhsten Lins
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004244:Dizziness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011304:Presbycusis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*