Effects of hearing intervention on physical function: A secondary analysis of the ACHIEVE study
Abstract
Objective: We tested the effect of the hearing intervention vs. health education control (1:1 randomization) on 3-year physical function decline, a secondary analysis of the ACHIEVE randomized trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03243422).
Methods: Pre-specified outcomes included the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) [total score and components] and grip strength. Intervention effects were modeled using linear mixed models following a pre-specified statistical analysis plan.
Results: In 956 participants (mean 76.3 years, 53% female, 12% Black race), hearing intervention did not impact change in SPPB (difference comparing intervention to control = 0.00 standard deviation [SD] units, 95% confidence interval [CI]:-0.14, 0.14) or grip strength (difference = 0.01 SD, 95% CI: -0.06, 0.08). However, treatment effects varied by recruitment cohort; although findings were not statistically significant, they suggest a clinically meaningful benefit (slower decline) in participants with faster rates of cognitive decline.
Conclusions: These secondary results have direct relevance for inclusion in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Future research should be designed to test whether hearing intervention can reduce short-term declines in physical function, particularly among those experiencing cognitive decline. Continuing follow-up of the ACHIEVE study participants will yield insights into longer-term (>3 years) effects of intervention.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a secondary / pooled analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 956 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- The Matrisome: In Silico Definition and In Vivo Characterization by Proteomics of Normal and Tumor Extracellular Matrices
- The Escherichia coli MG1655 in silico metabolic genotype: Its definition, characteristics, and capabilities
- In silico pharmacology for drug discovery: methods for virtual ligand screening and profiling
- In silico prediction of splice-altering single nucleotide variants in the human genome
- In silico clinical trials: how computer simulation will transform the biomedical industry
- In silico optimization of a guava antimicrobial peptide enables combinatorial exploration for peptide design
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.