title: Clinical and audiometric features of presbycusis in Nigerians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Presbycusis is the most common sensory impairment associated with ageing and it presents with variability of symptoms. Physicians need to recognize early clinical and audiometric signs of presbycusis in order to render adequate and quality care to patients and reduce associated morbidities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the clinical modes of presentation and the typical audiometric tracings among patients with presbycusis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive, prospective hospital-based study was conducted in the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) clinic of Olabisi Ona hing Hospital, (OOUTH) Sagamu, Nigeria. Patients with clinical diagnosis of presbycusis confirmed with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) on diagnostic audiometry were administered with questionnaires. Information obtained was analyzed using SPSS statistical package version 17.0 and presented in descriptive forms as percentages, means and graphs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-nine patients were diagnosed with presbycusis (M:F =1.6:1). Modal age group was 71-80 years. Hearing loss 88.4%, tinnitus 79.7% and vertigo 33.3% were the major symptoms on presentation. The average duration of symptoms before presentation was 2.6 years. There was positive history of ototoxic drugs usage in 24.6 %, family history in 11.6 %, hypertension in 34.8% and osteoarthritis in 13.0%. The most common type of audiometric pattern was strial. Hearing losses increased with age both at the speech and at the higher frequencies of sounds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found hearing impairment affected both speech and higher frequencies and the strial type of audiometric pattern was most common. The need for screening for hearing impairment from early middle age in symptomatic individuals is emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Department of e of Health Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Sagamu. Nigeria.
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Sogebi
authors.affiliation: Department of hroat, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: O O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Olusoga-Peters
authors.affiliation: Department of hroat, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Oluwapelumi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001299:Audiometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011304:Presbycusis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012727:Sex Characteristics
keywords: Clinical features; Elderly; udiometry