Inner Ear Disorders in the Elderly with Carotid Artery Disease Requiring Revascularization: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Association

Article history Received: 14 September 2020 Accepted: 27 September 2020 Published Online: 30 September 2020 Background: Aging is almost assocaited with inner ear disorders (InEarDs) by means of age-related hearing impairment (ARHI) or vertigo-anddizziness as well as the carotid artery disease requiring revascularization (CAD-R). Objective: The present study aimed to study the prevalence and characteristics of InEarDs in older adults diagnosed with CAD-R. The other aim was to determine if InEarDs in CAD-R patients is age-related or might be explained by a concomitant CAD-R. Method: A retrospective, case-control study was conducted at the Mayo Clinic, Florida. The study cohort includes 919 patients who had CAD-R. The control group consisted of 244 ageand gender-matched patients presenting with cardiac or peripheral artery disease. The InEarDs were assessed based on the diagnosis upon presentation to the Audiology Clinic and follow-up. Results: Of the 919, 348 had ARHI that includes significant peripheral signs and central symptoms (24.9%), vertigo-and-dizziness events that are recurrent and persistent with normal objective vestibular testing (12.9%), or a combination of both (11.0%). These percentages were significantly higher in the study group relative to the control group. After adjustment for the vascular risk factors, the study group had significantly higher odds of ARHI (OR= 1.94; 95% CI: 1.09-3.44; P<0.05). Conclusion: CAD-R patients had significantly higher InEarDs than the control group. CAD-R is more likely to be associated with ARHI rather than the vertigo-and-dizziness even after adjusting for the vascular risk factors.