ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the genetic characteristics of audiologic complication in the elderly population.

Methods: A total of 194 elderly cases were performed pure tone audiometry and middle ear analysis. And then five milliliter blood was extracted to detect the common deafness genes GJB2 and Mitochondrial DNA.

Results: From 194 of elderly cases that screened, 103 (53.1 %) people had normal hearing, and 91 (46.9 %) were detected hearing loss, including 32 cases mild deafness; 39 cases moderate hearing loss, 17 cases moderate to severe hearing loss, and 3 cases with severe hearing loss. The average hearing threshold in 60-70, 71-80 and more than 80-year -old cases were 43.8dB, 51.4dB and 58.1dB, respectively. 22 cases were detected heterozygous mutation of GJB2 gene. The mutation rate was 11.3% (22/194). Including heterozygous mutation of 109G>A, five cases were 233-.235delC heterozygous mutation, one case were detected 299 - 300delAT heterozygous. An unreported homozygous mutation 84T>C of GJB2 gene were detected in 2 cases. Mitochondrial DNA12SrRNA mutation was not found in loci 1494 and 1555.

Conclusion: Pay attention to the elderly population hearing loss, it is necessary to develop the elder population hearing screening accompany with the deafness gene screening at same time.

Key words: elderly people, deafness gene; screening