Prevalence of olfactory dysfunction, hearing deficit, and cognitive dysfunction among elderly patients in a suburban family practice.

Abstract

Olfactory and hearing senses diminish with age, and cognitive dysfunction increases. The association between sensory deficits and cognitive dysfunction has not been well studied. This paper presents the results of testing a group of 50 community-dwelling patients of a family physician who developed a computer-assisted comprehensive geriatric assessment program. Olfactory dysfunction was present in 39% of subjects, with 18% being unable to detect smoke. There was no correlation between olfactory dysfunction and cognitive dysfunction. Hearing deficit, however, was found in 10% of subjects, all of whom also had either an associated olfactory or cognitive dysfunction. This study demonstrates the high prevalence of olfactory and auditory dysfunction in an ambulatory geriatric population, with a possible association between hearing deficit and cognitive dysfunction. The problem of multiple sensory deficits should be addressed in any long-term management decisions regarding elderly patients.