UNASSIGNED: This cross-sectional study aimed to address a critical gap in the understanding of the association between body mass index (BMI) and physical fitness levels in adolescents with hearing impairment (HI) in China. This study investigated how different BMI levels impact the physical fitness index (PFI) of HI adolescents.
UNASSIGNED: This study employed a physical fitness test for HI adolescents attending special education schools. The test included eight components: height, weight, 50-m sprint, standing long jump, sit and reach, endurance run, bent-knee sit-up (for girls), and pull-up (for boys). Test scores for each student were standardized by age and gender. Individual Z-scores were then calculated, and the sum of these Z-scores constituted the PFI. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between BMI and PFI across different gender and age groups. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.
UNASSIGNED: The linear regression model showed an inverted U-shaped relationship between BMI and PFI. At the same BMI level, boys exhibited superior physical fitness compared to girls with the same BMI (P < 0.05). Statistically significant differences in PFI levels were observed between normal-weight and obese males, as well as between underweight and obese boys (P < 0.05). In the 13-15 and 16-18 age groups, the increase in BMI has a greater impact on boys PFI than on girls.
UNASSIGNED: Adolescents with HI generally demonstrated good physical fitness. Compared to individuals with normal weight, those who were underweight, overweight, or obese exhibited lower levels of physical fitness. Future interventions should focus on adolescents with HI with abnormal BMI.

BACKGROUND: Early detection and intervention of hearing issues in newborns are crucial for their auditory and speech development, necessitating newborn hearing screenings. This study aimed to investigate the impact of delivery methods, specifically natural delivery and cesarean section, on newborn hearing screening outcomes.
METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 600 newborns delivered at The First Affiliated Hospital of Shaoyang University between January 2020 and January 2023. The initial hearing screenings used the AccuScreen otoacoustic emission instrument. The study examined the influence of delivery method on the pass rates of newborns\' first hearing screenings within and beyond 48 h postbirth.
RESULTS: The pass rates for the initial hearing screenings, conducted within and after 48 h of birth, were significantly higher in the natural delivery group compared to the cesarean section group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, multivariate analysis identified the delivery method as a significant factor influencing the pass rates of newborns\' first hearing screenings.
CONCLUSIONS: The mode of delivery appears to affect the results of the initial hearing screenings of newborns, though further research is needed to validate these findings.

本文探讨了老年听觉障碍的创新研究方向，强调了随着中国人口老龄化，老年听力损失成为重大公共卫生问题。文章探讨了建立我国自己的老年听觉障碍流行病学数据和预警体系的必要性，提出临床特征分型诊断、年龄相关听力损失大动物模型、规范化治疗方案、心理治疗和言语康复技术以及数字化诊疗体系等需要迫切解决的关键科学问题。旨在通过梳理相关技术创新，提高老年听力障碍的诊断、治疗和康复效果，减轻家庭和社会负担。.

BACKGROUND: Sensory impairment in older adults is associated with cognitive decline, elevated depressive symptoms, and low levels of life satisfaction. However, these relationships are usually investigated separately and in pairs. This study examined these relationships comprehensively, for the first time.
METHODS: The analysis included 5,658 community-dwelling older adults from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (aged 50 to 108 years, 52.1% male) who completed the Jorm Informant Questionnaire Cognitive Decline in the Elderly and the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression-short form. A questionnaire was used to collect information on hearing, visual status, and life satisfaction. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the direct and indirect relationships between these variables.
RESULTS: Self-reported hearing and vision problems are directly associated with cognitive decline and elevated depressive symptoms. In addition, hearing and vision problems are indirectly related to cognitive decline through elevated depressive symptoms. Although hearing and vision problems had no direct effect on life satisfaction, they were indirectly associated with life satisfaction through cognitive decline and depressive symptoms.
CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first epidemiological evidence of the comprehensive relationships between hearing and vision problems, cognitive decline, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction. When older adults report hearing and/or vision problems, clinicians and caregivers should be aware of the concurrence of declined cognition, elevated depressive symptoms, and compensated life satisfaction. Future studies should examine the causal relationships and potential mechanisms of these relationships.

UNASSIGNED: Sensory impairments and eye diseases increase the risk of cognitive decline, but little is known regarding their influence on cognitive function in elderly Chinese and the underlying mechanisms. We aimed to explore these influence mechanism from the social participation perspective.
UNASSIGNED: We selected 2876 respondents aged ≥60 from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) conducted in 2013, 2015, and 2018. We assessed sensory impairments and eye diseases based on self-reported responses, and evaluated its relation to social participation and cognitive function by fixed-effects regression and mediation effect analysis over a five-year period.
UNASSIGNED: Respondents with visual impairment and cataracts had poor memory and mental status. Compared with near visual impairment, distance visual impairment was associated with a 1.7 times higher likelihood of cognitive decline (correlation coefficient (β) = -0.051; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.065, -0.036)). Respondents with hearing impairment had bad memory (β = -0.046; 95% CI = -0.065, -0.036), but not mental status. Social participation partially mediated the relationships of sensory impairments and cataracts with cognitive function in elderly Chinese. Individuals with sensory impairments affected by limited social participation reported a faster cognitive decline compared to those with eye disease.
UNASSIGNED: We found that sensory impairments and eye diseases were negatively associated with cognitive function. Furthermore, sensory impairments and cataracts influence cognitive function partly via social participation. Our results have important theoretical and practical implications and suggests that early interventions for sensory impairments and eye diseases may improve the cognitive function of elderly people.

Otitis media is a recognized cause of significant hearing loss, particularly in developing countries. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between otitis media and hearing loss in Chinese adults aged 18 years and older.
The survey was based on WHO Ear and Hearing Disorders Survey Protocol and 36,783 adults at the ages between 18 years and above were selected in this study. Trained local examiners performed pure tone audiometry to screen people with hearing loss, and those who were screened positively for hearing loss were referred to audiologists to make final diagnosis. All participants underwent clinical ENT check-up and otoscopic examination by doctors trained in ENT. Each participant was assigned a single middle ear diagnosis. Diagnoses were assigned as per the WHO classification of ear and hearing disorders.
Logistic regressions showed that higher prevalence of hearing loss was found in participants with otitis media, with an unadjusted odds ratio of 5.67 (95%CI: 4.66, 6.90). The next two models (Model 2-3) had slight impact on ORs. The interaction of residency and otitis media was statistically significant (OR = 1.70, 95%CI = 1.15, 2.53); otitis media patients in rural areas had higher risk of hearing loss. However, this interaction became not significant in 65 years old and above participants.
Otitis media was associated with the risk of hearing loss. Compared with urban patients with otitis media, rural patients have the higher risk of hearing loss. Action to reduce the risk of hearing loss in otitis media will require attention to rural-urban disparities.

BACKGROUND: The auditory system processes how we hear and understand sounds within the environment. It comprises both peripheral and central structures. Sympathetic nervous system projections are present throughout the auditory system. The function of sympathetic fibers in the cochlea has not been studied extensively due to the limited number of direct projections in the auditory system. Nevertheless, research on adrenergic and noradrenergic regulation of the cochlea and central auditory system is growing. With the rapid development of neuroscience, auditory central regulation is an extant topic of focus in research on hearing.
CONCLUSIONS: As such, understanding sympathetic nervous system regulation of auditory function is a growing topic of interest. Herein, we review the distribution and putative physiological and pathological roles of sympathetic nervous system projections in hearing. Key Messages: In the peripheral auditory system, the sympathetic nervous system regulates cochlear blood flow, modulates cochlear efferent fibers, affects hair cells, and influences the habenula region. In central auditory pathways, norepinephrine is essential for plasticity in the auditory cortex and affects auditory cortex activity. In pathological states, the sympathetic nervous system is associated with many hearing disorders. The mechanisms and pathways of sympathetic nervous system modulation of auditory function is still valuable for us to research and discuss.

With age-related functional deterioration, sensory impairment including vision impairment (VI), hearing impairment (HI), and dual sensory impairment (DSI) usually occurred among the elderly population, causing a decrease in functional capacity and quality of life. The study aimed to explore how sensory impairment is associated with the risk of all-cause mortality among the elderly adults in China. We prospectively investigated the association among 37,076 participants enrolled from 1998 to 2019 in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. We also, as a sensitivity analysis, explored the association among 11,365 newly incident sensory impairment participants. Cox regression model with sensory impairment as a time-varying exposure was performed to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Compared with participants without sensory impairment, those with VI (HR=1.20, 95% CI: 1.15-1.24), HI (HR=1.26, 95% CI: 1.21-1.31), and DSI (HR: 1.46, 95% CI=1.41-1.52) had significant higher risk of all-cause mortality after adjusting for potential confounders. These associations were robust among subgroup analyses stratified by sex and entry age, and sensitivity analyses performed among newly incident sensory impairment participants. In conclusion, sensory impairment was associated with higher mortality risk among the elderly adults in China.

Background: It is beneficial for CI patients listen to music. However it is necessary to take steps to improve the musicality of CI patients.Objectives: The aims of the study were to evaluate the primary musicality of children with cochlear implants versus those with normal hearing.Material and methods: Children participating in this study were divided into two groups: the cochlear implant group (CI group) and the normal hearing group (NH group). The \'Musical Ears Evaluation Form for Professionals\' was used to evaluate the subjects\' primary musicality.Results: The scores for overall and the three subcategories of primary musicality in children with cochlear implants and in those with normal hearing also improved significantly over time (p < .05). The score for overall primary musicality was not significantly different between CI and NH groups in the same hearing age (p > .05). There were significant differences between the two groups in the same chronological age (p < .05).Conclusions and significance: The primary musicality in children with cochlear implants was not significantly different from normal hearing ones at the same hearing age. The primary musicality in children with cochlear implants was significantly lower than that of children with normal hearing at the same chronological age.

Background: TSCP has shown its efficacy in vertigo control for intractable Meniere\'s disease. However, hearing impairment remains a problem and hampered the application of the surgery.Aims/objectives: To investigate the effect of dexamethasone on the hearing of Meniere\'s disease patients after TSCP to determine whether inflammation is involved in this processMaterial and methods: Meniere\'s disease patients who received TSCP surgeries were treated with or without dexamethasone postoperatively. All patients\' hearing function were evaluated during a follow up of 2 years after surgery and compared between the two groups.Results: Hearing worsening and word recognition score loss were milder in the dexamethasone group than in the non-dexamethasone group. The rates of profound hearing worsening and word recognition score loss remained significantly lower in the dexamethasone group than in the non-dexamethasone group even 2 years after surgery.Conclusions: Dexamethasone protects the hearing of Meniere\'s patients after TSCP. Inflammation may be involved in the mechanism by which TSCP causes hearing impairment in these patients.Significance: This finding suggests that steroids should be used routinely after TSCP for hearing preservation, and operative precedures need to be modified to minimize inflammation in the inner ear.