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Life (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a complex communication disorder that affects the cochlea and central auditory pathway. The goal of this study is to characterize this...
BACKGROUND
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a complex communication disorder that affects the cochlea and central auditory pathway. The goal of this study is to characterize this type of hearing loss and to identify non-invasive, inexpensive, and quick tests to detect ARHL among elderly adults, seeking to preserve quality of life and reduce the burden on healthcare systems.
METHODS
An observational, prospective study is conducted with >55-year-old subjects divided into the following groups: normal range (Group A), detected but not treated (Group B), and detected and treated (Group C). During follow-up, Speech Spatial Qualities (SSQ12), and Hearing Handicap Inventory in the Elderly Screening test (HHIE-S) questionnaires were assessed, along with hearing levels (hearing thresholds at 4 kHz were studied in more depth), and a series of tests and questionnaires to assess balance, cognitive level, level of dependence, and depression.
RESULTS
A total of 710 patients were included in this study. The duration of hearing loss (11.8 yr. in Group B and 21.0 yr. in Group C) and average time-to-treatment for Group C (14.1 yr.) are both protracted. Both of the used questionnaires show statistically significant differences among the groups, revealing greater handicaps for Group C. Audiometry performed at 4 kHz shows how hearing loss progresses with age, finding differences between men and women. There is a correlation between time-to-treatment in Group C and the cognitive test DSST (-0.26; = 0.003).
CONCLUSIONS
HHIE-S, SSQ12, and 4 kHz audiometry are sensitive and feasible tests to implement in screening programs.
PubMed: 38672742
DOI: 10.3390/life14040471 -
The Journal of the Acoustical Society... Aug 2023Web-based testing is an appealing option for expanding psychoacoustics research outside laboratory environments due to its simple logistics. For example, research...
Web-based testing is an appealing option for expanding psychoacoustics research outside laboratory environments due to its simple logistics. For example, research participants partake in listening tasks using their own computer and audio hardware and can participate in a comfortable environment of their choice at their own pace. However, it is unknown how deviations from conventional in-lab testing affect data quality, particularly in binaural hearing tasks that traditionally require highly precise audio presentation. Here, we used an online platform to replicate two published in-lab experiments: lateralization to interaural time and level differences (ITD and ILD, experiment I) and dichotic and contralateral unmasking of speech (experiment II) in normal-hearing (NH) young adults. Lateralization data collected online were strikingly similar to in-lab results. Likewise, the amount of unmasking measured online and in-lab differed by less than 1 dB, although online participants demonstrated higher speech reception thresholds overall than those tested in-lab by up to ∼7 dB. Results from online participants who completed a hearing screening versus those who self-reported NH did not differ significantly. We conclude that web-based psychoacoustics testing is a viable option for assessing binaural hearing abilities among young NH adults and discuss important considerations for online study design.
Topics: Young Adult; Humans; Psychoacoustics; Speech Perception; Hearing; Auditory Perception; Internet
PubMed: 37556566
DOI: 10.1121/10.0020567 -
International Journal of Environmental... Aug 2023Hearing loss is a significant global health concern, affecting billions of people and leading to various physical, mental, and social consequences. This paper focuses on...
Hearing loss is a significant global health concern, affecting billions of people and leading to various physical, mental, and social consequences. This paper focuses on the risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among specific healthcare professionals, especially ear surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, dentists, and dental hygienists, who frequently use noisy instruments in their professions. While studies on these professionals' noise exposure levels are limited, certain conditions and factors could pose a risk to their hearing. Measures such as engineering and administrative controls, regular audiometric testing, and the use of hearing protection devices are crucial in preventing NIHL. Early detection and intervention are also vital to mitigate further damage. This paper proposes the results of a modified screening protocol, including questionnaires, audiometry, and additional diagnostic tests to identify and address potential hearing disorders. Specific healthcare professionals should remain aware of the risks, prioritize hearing protection, and undergo regular monitoring to safeguard their long-term auditory well-being.
Topics: Humans; Noise, Occupational; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced; Audiometry; Hearing; Deafness; Occupational Diseases; Delivery of Health Care
PubMed: 37569060
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20156520 -
European Archives of... Jun 2024To evaluate the effect of piston diameter in patients undergoing primary stapes surgery on audiometric results and postoperative complications.
PURPOSE
To evaluate the effect of piston diameter in patients undergoing primary stapes surgery on audiometric results and postoperative complications.
METHODS
A retrospective single-center cohort study was performed. Adult patients who underwent primary stapes surgery between January 2013 and April 2022 and received a 0.4-mm-diameter piston or a 0.6-mm-diameter piston were included. The primary and secondary outcomes were pre- and postoperative pure-tone audiometry, pre- and postoperative speech audiometry, postoperative complications, intraoperative anatomical difficulties, and the need for revision stapes surgery. The pure-tone audiometry included air conduction, bone conduction, and air-bone gap averaged over 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 kHz.
RESULTS
In total, 280 otosclerosis patients who underwent 321 primary stapes surgeries were included. The audiometric outcomes were significantly better in the 0.6 mm group compared to the 0.4 mm group in terms of gain in air conduction (median = 24 and 20 dB, respectively), postoperative air-bone gap (median = 7.5 and 9.4 dB, respectively), gain in air-bone gap (median = 20.0 and 18.1 dB, respectively), air-bone gap closure to 10 dB or less (75% and 59%, respectively) and 100% speech reception (median = 75 and 80 dB, respectively). We found no statistically significant difference in postoperative dizziness, postoperative complications and the need for revision stapes surgery between the 0.4 and 0.6 mm group. The incidence of anatomical difficulties was higher in the 0.4 mm group.
CONCLUSION
The use of a 0.6-mm-diameter piston during stapes surgery seems to provide better audiometric results compared to a 0.4-mm-diameter piston, and should be the preferred piston size in otosclerosis surgery. We found no statistically significant difference in postoperative complications between the 0.4- and 0.6-mm-diameter piston. Based on the results, we recommend always using a 0.6-mm-diameter piston during primary stapes surgery unless anatomical difficulties do not allow it.
Topics: Humans; Stapes Surgery; Retrospective Studies; Male; Otosclerosis; Female; Middle Aged; Adult; Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Postoperative Complications; Bone Conduction; Treatment Outcome; Ossicular Prosthesis; Aged; Prosthesis Design; Reoperation; Audiometry, Speech
PubMed: 38273045
DOI: 10.1007/s00405-023-08407-w -
International Journal of Audiology Oct 2023Evaluate accessibility, effectiveness, acceptability and efficiency of a student- assisted teleaudiology model of care in a regional hospital in Queensland, Australia.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluate accessibility, effectiveness, acceptability and efficiency of a student- assisted teleaudiology model of care in a regional hospital in Queensland, Australia.
DESIGN
Prospective mixed method service evaluation study.
STUDY SAMPLE
Demographic, service and satisfaction data were collected from 233 patients (children aged ≥5 and adults) who received teleaudiology assessment. Satisfaction data was collected from 27 hospital clinic staff (medical, nursing and clinic assistants) and 28 university audiology clinical educator participants. Experience and satisfaction data were collected from 16 teleaudiology clinic university students. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS software. Qualitative data were analysed using inductive content analysis.
RESULTS
Following introduction of the teleaudiology service in 2017 and evaluation during the first 6 months, 95% of patients were able to access audiology assessments on the same day as their Ear, Nose and Throat appointments. New referrals to the service were seen within a month. The audiology assessment battery was completed 95% of the time within an average of 33 minutes by the end of the study period. Patients, hospital and university staff and students reported high satisfaction with their experiences of teleaudiology, including its convenience and efficiency.
CONCLUSIONS
A student-assisted teleaudiology model of care can deliver accessible, effective, and efficient services with high levels of satisfaction by participants.
Topics: Adult; Child; Humans; Prospective Studies; Audiology; Audiometry; Students; Australia
PubMed: 35980839
DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2022.2108913 -
The Laryngoscope Jul 2024To investigate the relationship between vestibular aqueduct (VA) morphology and Meniere's disease (MD) using ultrahigh-resolution computed tomography (U-HRCT).
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between vestibular aqueduct (VA) morphology and Meniere's disease (MD) using ultrahigh-resolution computed tomography (U-HRCT).
METHODS
Retrospective data were collected from 34 patients (40 ears) diagnosed with MD in our hospital who underwent temporal bone U-HRCT with isotropic 0.05-mm resolution, magnetic resonance with gadolinium-enhanced, and pure-tone audiometry; 34 age- and sex-matched controls (68 ears) who underwent U-HRCT were also included. VA patency was qualitatively classified as locally not shown (grade 1), locally faintly shown (grade 2), or clearly shown throughout (grade 3). The width of the outer orifice and VA length and angle were quantitatively measured. Differences in VA morphology between the MD and control groups were analyzed. The correlations between VA morphology and the degrees of hearing loss and endolymphatic hydrops (EH) were also analyzed.
RESULTS
VA was classified as grades 1-3 in 11, 17, and 12 ears in the MD group and 5, 26, and 37 ears in the control group, respectively. The patency differed significantly between the groups (p < 0.01). The width of the outer orifice and length of VA were significantly smaller in the MD group than those in the control group (p < 0.05). Both VA patency and length were correlated with the degree of EH in the cochlea and the vestibule (p < 0.05). No difference was found between VA morphology and the degree of hearing loss (p > 0.05).
CONCLUSION
The morphological characteristics of VA were found to be associated with the occurrence of MD and the degree of EH.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
4 Laryngoscope, 134:3349-3354, 2024.
Topics: Humans; Meniere Disease; Female; Male; Vestibular Aqueduct; Retrospective Studies; Middle Aged; Adult; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Aged; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Case-Control Studies; Endolymphatic Hydrops; Young Adult; Temporal Bone
PubMed: 38366775
DOI: 10.1002/lary.31339 -
The Journal of International Advanced... Nov 2023The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics and electrophysiological changes in patients with different degrees of noise-induced hearing loss...
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics and electrophysiological changes in patients with different degrees of noise-induced hearing loss compared with those of normal controls to elucidate the progression of auditory neural damage attributed to noise exposure.
METHODS
A retrospective cohort study was conducted through a review of the medical records for the patients who presented to a tertiary referral center. Sixty-nine participants were included in the study: 29 had noise-induced hearing loss, and 40 were healthy controls. All the participants underwent electrophysiological tests and pure-tone audiometry.
RESULTS
Nine patients showed mild hearing loss (mild hearing loss group), while the others showed worse than moderate hearing loss on puretone audiometry (severe hearing loss group). Significantly reduced wave I and V amplitudes of auditory brainstem response were present in both mild and severe hearing loss groups compared to the control group (P -lt; .001 and P=.002, respectively), without significant differences between the mild and severe hearing loss groups. In the multivariate analysis, auditory brainstem response wave V amplitude was negatively associated with auditory brainstem response wave I-V inter-peak latency delay (B=-0.48, P=.02).
CONCLUSION
The results of the present study confirm the similarity in the electrophysiological characteristics between the mild and severe hearing loss groups. Thus, widespread disruption in the auditory neural conduction could have been established in the early period when the patient developed mild hearing loss following noise exposure.
Topics: Humans; Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Auditory Threshold; Deafness; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 38088321
DOI: 10.5152/iao.2023.231192 -
Otology & Neurotology : Official... Jan 2024To evaluate long-term outcomes of active transcutaneous bone conduction implants (atBCIs) regarding safety, hearing, and quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate long-term outcomes of active transcutaneous bone conduction implants (atBCIs) regarding safety, hearing, and quality of life.
STUDY DESIGN
A clinical study with retrospective medical record analysis combined with prospective audiometry and quality of life questionnaires.
SETTING
Three secondary to tertiary care hospitals.
PATIENTS
All subjects operated with an atBCI in three regions in Sweden were asked for informed consent. Indications for atBCI were single-sided deafness (SSD) and conductive or mixed hearing loss (CMHL).
INTERVENTION
Evaluation of atBCI.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Pure tone and speech audiometry and Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI).
RESULT
Thirty-three subjects were included and 29 completed all parts. The total follow-up time was 124.1 subject-years. Nineteen subjects had CMHL and in this group, pure tone averages (PTA4) were 56.6 dB HL unaided and 29.6 dB HL aided, comparable with a functional gain of 26.0 dB. Effective gain (EG) was -12.7 dB. With bilateral hearing, Word Recognition Scores (WRS) in noise were 36.5% unaided and 59.1% aided. Fourteen subjects had SSD or asymmetric hearing loss (AHL) and in this group, PTA4 were >100 dB HL unaided and 32.1 dB HL aided with the contralateral ear blocked. EG was -9.1 dB. With bilateral hearing, WRSs were 53.2% unaided and 67.9% aided. The means of the total GBI scores were 31.7 for CMHL and 23.6 for SSD/AHL.
CONCLUSION
Few complications occurred during the study. The atBCI is concluded to provide a safe and effective long-term hearing rehabilitation.
Topics: Humans; Bone Conduction; Follow-Up Studies; Hearing Loss, Mixed Conductive-Sensorineural; Retrospective Studies; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Hearing Aids; Hearing Loss, Conductive; Hearing Loss; Speech Perception; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 38085764
DOI: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000004057 -
HNO Jan 2024One of the main treatment goals in cochlear implant (CI) patients is to improve speech perception. One of the target parameters is speech intelligibility in quiet....
BACKGROUND
One of the main treatment goals in cochlear implant (CI) patients is to improve speech perception. One of the target parameters is speech intelligibility in quiet. However, treatment results show a high variability, which has not been sufficiently explained so far. The aim of this noninterventional retrospective study was to elucidate this variability using a selected population of patients in whom etiology was not expected to have a negative impact on postoperative speech intelligibility.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Audiometric findings of the CI follow-up of 28 adult patients after 6 months of CI experience were evaluated. These were related to the preoperative audiometric examination and evaluated with respect to a recently published predictive model for the postoperative monosyllabic score.
RESULTS
Inclusion of postoperative categorical loudness scaling and hearing loss for Freiburg numbers in the model explained 55% of the variability in fitting outcomes with respect to monosyllabic word recognition.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study suggest that much of the cause of variability in fitting outcomes can be captured by systematic postoperative audiometric checks. Immediate conclusions for CI system fitting adjustments may be drawn from these results. However, the extent to which these are accepted by individual patients and thus lead to an improvement in outcome must be subject of further studies, preferably prospective.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Cochlear Implants; Retrospective Studies; Prospective Studies; Cochlear Implantation; Audiometry; Speech Perception
PubMed: 37812257
DOI: 10.1007/s00106-023-01317-7 -
Acta Oto-laryngologica 2023The increase in screen time and the decrease in physical- activity cause balance problems as well as many systemic handicaps.
BACKGROUND
The increase in screen time and the decrease in physical- activity cause balance problems as well as many systemic handicaps.
AIMS/OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to determine the effect of screen time on balance and the effect of headphone usage time on hearing.
METHOD
Thirty-four individuals aged 6-16 years who applied to our clinic with complaints of dizziness and/or balance disorder were included in the study. Participants were divided into 2 groups according to their screen time: Group 1 (4-8 h/day) and Group2(>8 h/day). The other two groups are grouped according to headphone usage time as Group A (2-4 h/day) and Group B (>4hours/day). Pure-tone audiometry, extended high frequency-audiometry, Videonystagmography (VNG) and Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP) tests and Pediatric Berg Balance Scale and Visual Analogue Scale were applied to all individuals. CDP scores and pure tone hearing thresholds between groups were compared.
RESULTS
A significant difference was observed between Group 1 and Group 2 according to the CDP test (visual, vestibular and composite scores), and according to the VAS-dizziness and PBS ( ≤ .05). Pure tone average and pure tone thresholds at high frequencies were compared between Group A and Group B according to headphone usage time. Pure tone thresholds of Group B were worse at high frequencies than Group A ( ≤ .05).
CONCLUSIONS
It has been observed that prolonged screen time may cause balance impairment in children and prolonged use of headphones may affect high-frequency hearing thresholds.
Topics: Humans; Child; Dizziness; Screen Time; Hearing; Vertigo; Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Auditory Threshold
PubMed: 38197860
DOI: 10.1080/00016489.2023.2296556