[The influence of nasopharyngeal pathology on auditory function in elderly and senile patients.].

The aim of the research was to study the effect of nasopharyngeal pathology on hearing in elderly and senile patients. The results of the examination of 139 patients who consulted an audiologist are presented. Group 1 included 62 young and middle-aged people (45,2±11 years), group 2 included 77 elderly and senile people (68,4±6,2 years). All patients underwent video endoscopy of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx, along with the collection of complaints and medical history, an ENT examination and an audiological examination, including pure tone audiometry in the standard frequency range and impedancemetry. The study showed a high incidence of diseases of the nasal cavity and nasopharynx, contributing to hearing impairment, in patients of different ages. It was found that in elderly and senile patients, along with sensorineural hearing loss, conductive/mixed forms of hearing loss were diagnosed in 19,5% of cases, exacerbating hearing loss and reducing the quality of life. Significant correlations between the state of hearing and the presence of occlusion/patulous of the Eustachian tube were revealed. Timely detection of nasopharyngeal pathology leading to dysfunction of the Eustachian tubes and hearing impairment, followed by correction of the identified disorders, can be an effective addition to the rehabilitation program for patients with presbyacusis.