Serap BULUT ÇÖBDEN, Mehmet YAŞAR, Aykut KURU, Esra DİŞBUDAK, Altan KAYA, Yunus KANTEKİN, Ali BAYRAM
Türk Geriatri Dergisi - 2026;29(3):296-304
Introduction: Presbystasis is defined as anage-related imbalance not due to any known pathology and is acritical problem in elderly patients. The study aimed to prospectively evaluate the association between presbystasis and presbycusis using audiology and vHIT (video Head Impulse Test) tests. Materials and Method: Patients over 60 years of age who presented to the otolaryngology outpatient clinic and had no prior acute vertigo attacks were included in the study. Pure-tone audiometry (500-8,000 Hz) and vHIT testing were performed on these patients. Patients with bilateral VOR (vestibulo-ocular reflex) reduction on vHIT were considered to have presbystasis. Correlations between vHIT gain values and audiometric thresholds were analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficient, and theMann-Whitney U test was used to compare mean audiometric thresholds between the reduced vHIT gain group and the normal gain group. Results: The mean age was 68 years, and 20.6% (13/63) of patients showed reduced vHIT gains. Hearing loss was present in 55.6% (35/63) of participants. Weak-to-moderate negative correlations were observed between vHIT canal gains and audiometric thresholds. Significant negative correlations were identified only for the right lateral canal gain with right ear PTA and the left posterior canal gain with left ear PTA (p< 0.05). No significant association was found between age and vHIT values. Additionally, audiometric thresholds did not differ significantly between patients with and without reduced vHIT gains. Conclusion: Since presbycusis and presbystasis are likely to occur together, morbidities can be prevented by performing vHIT in potential centers for patients with presbycusis and by initiating early rehabilitation for patients with low canal gains.
