Background: Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a complex communication disorder that affects the cochlea and central auditory pathway. The goal of this study is to characterize this type of hearing loss and to identify non-invasive, inexpensive, and quick tests to detect ARHL among elderly adults, seeking to preserve quality of life and reduce the burden on healthcare systems. Methods: An observational, prospective study is conducted with >55-year-old subjects divided into the following groups: normal range (Group A), detected but not treated (Group B), and detected and treated (Group C). During follow-up, Speech Spatial Qualities (SSQ12), and Hearing Handicap Inventory in the Elderly Screening test (HHIE-S) questionnaires were assessed, along with hearing levels (hearing thresholds at 4 kHz were studied in more depth), and a series of tests and questionnaires to assess balance, cognitive level, level of dependence, and depression. Results: A total of 710 patients were included in this study. The duration of hearing loss (11.8 yr. in Group B and 21.0 yr. in Group C) and average time-to-treatment for Group C (14.1 yr.) are both protracted. Both of the used questionnaires show statistically significant differences among the groups, revealing greater handicaps for Group C. Audiometry performed at 4 kHz shows how hearing loss progresses with age, finding differences between men and women. There is a correlation between time-to-treatment in Group C and the cognitive test DSST (−0.26; p = 0.003). Conclusions: HHIE-S, SSQ12, and 4 kHz audiometry are sensitive and feasible tests to implement in screening programs.

(1) Background: Assessing phonatory disorders due to laryngeal biomechanical alterations requires aerodynamic analysis, assessing subglottic pressure, transglottic flow, and laryngeal resistance. This study explores whether the acoustic parameter, the relative fundamental frequency (RFF), can be studied using the current acoustic analysis protocol at the University of Navarra’s voice laboratory and its association with pathologies linked to laryngeal biomechanical alterations. (2) Methods: A retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with muscular tension dysphonia, organic lesions of the vocal fold, and vocal fold paralysis (VFP) at the Clínica Universidad de Navarra from 2019 to 2021. Each patient underwent endoscopic laryngeal exploration, followed by acoustic study, RFF calculation, and an aerodynamic study. Additionally, a control group was recruited. (3) Results: 79 patients and 22 controls were studied. Two-way ANOVA showed significant effects for groups and cycles in offset and onset cycles. Statistically significant differences were observed in cycle 1 onset among all groups and in cycles 1 and 2 between the control group and non-healthy groups. (4) Conclusions: RFF is a valuable indicator of phonatory biomechanics, distinguishing healthy and pathological voices and different disorders. RFF in onset cycles offers a cost-effective, accurate method for assessing biomechanical disorders without complex aerodynamic analyses. This study describes RFF values in VFP for the first time, revealing differences regardless of aerodynamic patterns.

Objective. This study aims to describe the spatial relation (SR) between the nasopalatine canal (NPC) and the septal projection of the middle turbinate axilla (MTA-SP), 2 anatomical landmarks used in rhinology. Methods. A retrospective study was conducted in patients who underwent a cone bean computed tomography. Two radiological measurements were assessed by 2 examiners: the distance between the perpendicular line corresponding to the MTA-SP to the posterior border of the NPC and the distance between the anterior and posterior border of the NPC. Also, an anatomical dissection was performed on a cadaveric head and NPC was cannulated to visually assess the SR through a radiological reconstruction. Results. Among 30 patients, 14 females and 16 males with a mean age of 46.6 (SD 18.8) years, the mean distance between the perpendicular line corresponding to the MTA-SP to the posterior border of the NPC was -0.08 mm (SD 2.4 mm) and the mean distance between the anterior and posterior border of the NSP was 2.7 mm (SD 1.4 mm). Conclusions. The septal projection of the middle turbinate axilla is above and slightly in front to the NPC, at a mean distance of 0.08 mm. Understanding this relationship provides essential information about structure and spatial orientation of the nasal cavity.

Background: There might be a significant association between hearing loss (HL) and cognitive performance or postural imbalance, but how they relate to each other remains unknown. The aim of this study is to gain an understanding of these relationships. Methods: An observational prospective study with subjects ≥ 55 years old divided into groups: normal hearing (group A), untreated HL > 20 decibel hearing level (dBHL) (group B), and patients with treated HL > 20 dBHL (group C). At the initial visit and follow-up, participants underwent tests and questionnaires evaluating hearing, balance, and cognition. Statistical analyses—including relative risk, Spearman’s Rho correlation, interaction, and adjusted models—were performed using Stata 17; a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In total, 714 subjects were initially recruited: 210 in group A, 302 in group B, and 202 in group C. A mean follow-up time of 3.6 years was completed by 101 individuals. Compared with the normal-hearing group, hearing loss increased the probability of unsteadiness by 1.4-fold in group B and 4.1-fold in group C. Poorer performance on the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test was predicted by lower scores on both cognitive executive function tests, with correlations of −0.4 and 0.34 (p < 0.001). Regarding confounding factors, statistically significant differences were found for age and education in cognitive performance; age in the TUG results; and sex, cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), and education in HL. Conclusions: Postural imbalance and cognitive executive function are related to HL. However, there is no evidence linking dizziness to cognitive executive function, although an association with TUG results was found. Therefore, HL is correlated with both balance and cognition, and cognition is also related to balance.