Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with motor and nonmotor manifestations. Although auditory dysfunction has been proposed as a nonmotor feature, the extent of peripheral auditory involvement remains unclear. This study aims to explore peripheral auditory and lower brainstem function in patients with PD compared with age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls.
This pilot cross-sectional study included 25 patients with PD and 25 matched controls. Disease severity was assessed using the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale. All participants underwent pure-tone audiometry (250–8000 Hz), speech discrimination score, tympanometry, contralateral acoustic reflex evaluation, and transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions using standardized protocols in a calibrated, sound-treated environment.
In this study, PD patients and controls were well-matched for age and sex. Pure-tone thresholds and speech discrimination scores were comparable across all frequencies. Tympanometric findings predominantly showed bilateral type A curves, contralateral acoustic reflexes were preserved, and transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions responses did not differ significantly between groups (all P>0.05). Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale scores indicated moderate overall disease severity with predominant motor impairment.
As a pilot study, the present findings suggest that peripheral auditory structures and lower brainstem function appear preserved in early-to-moderate PD. Larger, longitudinal studies incorporating central auditory processing assessment are warranted to identify subtle central deficits and track progression over time.
Evaluating patients’ cognitive and emotional states, along with their beliefs about asthma medicine, helps identify those likely to be nonadherent to their therapy. This study aimed to assess treatment adherence in Upper Egypt and its relationship with disease beliefs and other potential influencing factors, including socioeconomic status, education, medication burden, and cognitive function.
This study is a cross-sectional patient survey conducted in a respiratory outpatient clinic. A total of 138 asthmatic patients were recruited during follow-up visits at least 4 weeks after the last exacerbation. Assessment tools included the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire, Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, Asthma Control Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire.
In the current study, 62.3% of patients showed low adherence, 29.7% showed moderate adherence, and only 7.9% showed high adherence. Illness perception is significantly higher in the low adherence group (70/100) than in the moderate adherence group and the high adherence group. The greater number of medications [odds ratio (OR=0.31)], low educational level (OR=0.124), presence of comorbidities (OR=0.287), and previous emergency room visits (OR=0.197) are associated with less treatment adherence. Conversely, later age of asthma onset (OR=2.479) and higher disease control (OR=1.784) are associated with higher adherence.
Treatment adherence among asthmatic patients in Upper Egypt is predominantly low, strongly influenced by negative medication beliefs, multiple medications, low education, comorbidities, and previous emergency visits. Later disease onset and better asthma control positively affect adherence.
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