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Am J Audiol 2021 Mar 26:1-11. Epub 2021 Mar 26.

Department of Neurology, Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital, Chennai, India.

Purpose The brainstem dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS) often causes significant functional impairment leading to disability. This study aims to explore modified brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) scores based on the pattern of BAEP abnormalities and relate with brainstem symptoms, brainstem functional system scores (BFSS), brainstem lesions, and disability. Method Forty-five participants with relapsing-remitting MS and 45 age- and gender-matched healthy controls underwent case history assessment, otoscopic examination, pure-tone audiometry, and BAEP testing. Read More

Ear Hear 2021 Mar 22. Epub 2021 Mar 22.

Division of Nutrition and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey Department of Ent-Audiology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Halic University, Istanbul, Turkey Department of Nephrology, Bagcilar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey Department of Nephrology, Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey These authors contributed equally to this work.

Objectives: Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder that causes multisystem involvement, including ear disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the nature of auditory issues in FD using a wide spectrum of audiological tests.

Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2017 and December 2018. Read More

Ear Hear 2021 Jan 25. Epub 2021 Jan 25.

Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center for Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences, Department of Otolaryngology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Objectives: Tinnitus and hearing loss commonly coexist, however, the temporal relation between tinnitus and hearing loss is complex and not fully understood. Our objective was to examine the longitudinal association between persistent tinnitus, bothersome tinnitus, and 3-year elevation of audiometric hearing thresholds.

Design: We conducted a longitudinal cohort study among 3106 women (mean age 59 years) who were participants in the Nurses' Health Study II (2012-2018). Read More

Int J Audiol 2020 Dec 14:1-7. Epub 2020 Dec 14.

Department of Teleaudiology and Screening, World Hearing Center, Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Warsaw/Kajetany, Poland.

Objective: Tinnitus affects both adults and children. Children rarely complain spontaneously of tinnitus, and their parents are not aware of the condition. The prevalence of tinnitus in children differs considerably between studies, and large studies are needed to reliably estimate how many children experience tinnitus symptoms. Read More

J Am Acad Audiol 2020 Dec 9. Epub 2020 Dec 9.

Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Background And Purpose:  The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of the perception of tinnitus in dreams among patients seeking help for tinnitus and/or hyperacusis and to assess whether this is related to the severity of tinnitus and/or hyperacusis.

Research Design:  This was a retrospective study.

Study Sample:  The data for 148 consecutive adult patients who attended a tinnitus/hyperacusis clinic in the United Kingdom were included. Read More

Ear Hear 2020 Nov/Dec;41(6):1461-1469

Audiology Unit, Otolaryngology Branch, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Objectives: Synaptic damage from noise exposures can occur even in the absence of changes in hearing sensitivity in animal models. There is an unmet clinical need for measurements sensitive to such damage to the human auditory system that can augment the pure-tone audiogram. Early components (i. Read More

Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2020 Oct 30:3489420967708. Epub 2020 Oct 30.

Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of Illinois Health, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to begin to measure the prevalence of elevated hearing thresholds in Ethiopia, with audiometric equipment, including bone oscillators and tympanometers. To that end Ethiopian nationals were trained in audiometric techniques to obtain sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and conductive hearing loss (CHL) rates in school age children.

Methods: Five mainstreamed public grade schools in northern Ethiopia were the sites for audiometry campaigns examining 1351 children and testing them with behavioral audiometry. Read More

Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis 2020 Oct 20. Epub 2020 Oct 20.

Department of ENT & Maxillofacial Surgery, Gui-de-Chauliac University Hospital, 34000 Montpellier, France; Inserm U1051, Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, University of Montpellier, 34000 Montpellier, France.

Objectives: Access to diagnosis and treatments for auditory disorders and related pathologies has regressed in France during the COVID-19 pandemic, posing a risk to the patient's chance of recovery. This best practice recommendations guide aims to list the existing technological solutions for the remote examination of a patient with hearing complaint, and to outline their benefits and, where applicable, their limitations.

Methods: The recommendations were developed both from the clinical experience of the medical experts who drafted the guide, and from an extensive review of the literature dealing with clinical practice recommendations for tele-audiology. Read More

Int J Audiol 2020 Oct 12:1-6. Epub 2020 Oct 12.

Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA.

Objective: Distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) mapping characterises cochlear function, can include both the 2f1-2f2 and 2f2-2f1 DPOAEs, and shows promise for tracking cochlear changes. DPOAE amplitude measurements are not as repeatable longitudinally as pure-tone audiometry, likely due in part to probe placement sensitivity. We hypothesised that DPOAE level map variation over multiple testing sessions could be minimised by replacing traditional rubber tips with custom-moulded probe tips. Read More

Int J Audiol 2021 Apr 26;60(4):239-245. Epub 2020 Sep 26.

The Cambridge Hearing Group, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Objective: Rehabilitation options for conductive and mixed hearing loss are continually expanding, but without standard outcome measures comparison between different treatments is difficult. To meaningfully inform clinicians and patients core outcome sets (COS), determined via a recognised methodology, are needed. Following our previous work that identified hearing, physical, economic and psychosocial as core areas of a future COS, the AURONET group reviewed hearing outcome measures used in existing literature and assigned them into different domains within the hearing core area. Read More

Med Pr 2020 Jul 9;71(4):493-505. Epub 2020 Jul 9.

Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. J. Nofera / Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland (Klinika Audiologii i Foniatrii / Department of Audiology and Phoniatrics).

Robust evidence confirms that occupational exposures to organic solvents are ototoxic and can aggravate the effects of noise on the auditory organ. Accordingly, Directive 2003/10/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council recommends that in assessing the risk of occupational hearing loss, the interaction of noise and organic solvents to hearing should be taken into account. Given that no prophylactic recommendations have been established to date, this study is intended to provide physicians with guidance in conducting audiometric tests in workers exposed to noise and organic solvents. Read More

Ann Indian Acad Neurol 2020 May-Jun;23(3):296-302. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

Department of Statistics, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.

Objective: The objective of the study is to establish normative values of cortical evoked response audiometry (CERA) in a heterogeneous Indian population and correlate CERA threshold with pure tone audiometric (PTA) threshold values.

Materials And Methods: A prospective study was carried out on 31 volunteers ( = 62) who had no otological or neurological complaints. Two study groups were formed; Group 1 with individuals from 20 to 40 years (mean age of 29. Read More

Mol Genet Metab Rep 2020 Sep 20;24:100615. Epub 2020 Jun 20.

Eye Clinic, Multidisciplinary Department of Medical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.

Peroxisomal biogenesis disorders (PBD) are rare autosomal recessive disorders with various degrees of severity caused by hypomorphic mutations in 13 different peroxin (PEX) genes. In this study, we report the clinical and molecular characterization of a 9-years-old female presenting an apparently isolated pre-lingual sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and early onset Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) that may clinically overlap with Usher syndrome. Genetic testing by clinical exome sequencing identified two variants in : the missense variant c. Read More

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2021 Apr 26;278(4):997-1015. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

ENT & Audiology Unit, Department of Diagnostic, Experimal and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), S.Orsola - Malpighi University Hospital, Bologna, Italy.

Purpose: To correlate objective measures of audio-vestibular function with superior canal dehiscence (SCD) size and location in ears with SCD and compare results with literature.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 242 patients exhibiting SCD and/or extremely thinned bone overlying superior canals (SC) on CT scans and selected 73 SCD patients (95 ears with SCD). Data concerning audiometry, impedance audiometry, video-head impulse test (vHIT), cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) and ocular VEMPs (oVEMPs) to air- (AC) and bone-conducted (BC) stimuli were collected for each pathologic ear and correlated with dehiscence size and location. Read More

Sci Rep 2020 06 22;10(1):10118. Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Increasing use of personal listening devices has been accompanied by increase in the prevalence of hearing loss (HL) among youth in Korea, as in other countries. Auditory processing disorder (APD) is one of the main factors affecting academic achievement at school. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of HL in students attending general middle- and high schools and compare the findings with the APD survey results. Read More

OTO Open 2020 Apr-Jun;4(2):2473974X20923580. Epub 2020 May 19.

Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Communication Sciences, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.

Objective: School hearing screening may mitigate the effects of childhood hearing loss through early identification and intervention. This study provides an overview of existing school hearing screening programs around the world, identifies gaps in the literature, and develops priorities for future research.

Data Sources: A structured search of the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. Read More

S Afr J Commun Disord 2020 Apr 20;67(1):e1-e9. Epub 2020 Apr 20.

Discipline of Audiology, School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.

Background: Recent estimates reveal that there are approximately 280 000 children between the ages of birth and 14 years who are living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in South Africa. These children are living with a compromised immune system, are vulnerable to opportunistic infections and subsequent hearing loss. However, there is limited research on the nature and extent of this sensory impairment amongst school-aged children. Read More

Otol Neurotol 2020 08;41(7):948-955

Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.

Objective: Conventional bone conduction hearing aid solutions often require a cumbersome retention system such as a headband or cap. This study aims to determine if a novel, nonsurgical bone conduction aid utilizing an adhesive attachment over the mastoid is equivalent to the conventional bone conduction hearing aid (BCHA) for the management of conductive hearing loss.

Study Design: Prospective, single-subject randomized, crossover trial. Read More

Am J Audiol 2019 Oct 16;28(3S):736-741. Epub 2019 Oct 16.

Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.

Purpose This study compared the speech reception thresholds (SRTs) and test-retest reliability of the smartphone digits-in-noise (DIN) test coupled to various sound-field transducers. Method Fifty normal-hearing participants (bilateral pure- tone thresholds 0.5-8kHz ≤ 15dB HL) between the ages of 18 and 25 years ( = 20, = ±1. Read More

Arch Public Health 2020 6;78:16. Epub 2020 Mar 6.

1International Centre for Evidence in Disability, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, London, WC1 E7HT United Kingdom.

Background: The Rapid Assessment of Hearing Loss (RAHL) survey protocol aims to measure the prevalence and causes of hearing loss in a low cost and rapid manner, to inform planning of ear and hearing services. This paper reports on the first field-test of the RAHL in Gao'an County, Jiangxi Province, China. This study aimed to 1) To report on the feasibility of RAHL; 2) report on the estimated prevalence and causes of hearing loss in Gao'an. Read More

Am J Audiol 2020 Jun 12;29(2):120-128. Epub 2020 Mar 12.

Department of Internal Medicine, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Background P300 event-related potentials can be used to measure auditory processing speed, working memory, and attention. Purpose The purpose of the study was to compare P300 event-related potentials in normal-hearing adults with those of adults with Type II diabetes mellitus. Research Design A two-group (with diabetes and controls) comparative study (age- and sex-matched) with a nonprobability sampling method was used. Read More

Laryngoscope 2021 01 28;131(1):E59-E62. Epub 2020 Feb 28.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom.

Objective: The Control of Noise at Work Regulations came into force in Great Britain in 2005, requiring all work environments to be monitored for potentially harmful noise exposure levels. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a number of iPhone phone applications (apps) (Apple, Cupertino, CA) to accurately measure noise exposure, which may prove effective when a specialist-calibrated sound level meter is not readily available.

Methods: Suitable apps were identified using the search terms noise and decibel through the App Store (Apple). Read More

Int J Audiol 2020 09 24;59(9):682-693. Epub 2020 Feb 24.

Unit of Audiology, Department of Health and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

To describe the auditory function in early old age in detail based on both psychoacoustic and physiological measures, and to investigate the prevalence of specific audiological and otological pathologies. An unscreened subsample from a population-based geriatric investigation was examined with otoscopy; tympanometry; pure-tone audiometry; word-recognition-in-noise test; distortion-product otoacoustic emissions; and auditory-evoked brainstem responses. Audiometric subtypes and diagnoses were established based on set criteria. Read More

Trends Hear 2020 Jan-Dec;24:2331216520902001

Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.

Multiple studies have shown significant speech recognition benefit when acoustic hearing is combined with a cochlear implant (CI) for a bimodal hearing configuration. However, this benefit varies greatly between individuals. There are few clinical measures correlated with bimodal benefit and those correlations are driven by extreme values prohibiting data-driven, clinical counseling. Read More

Auris Nasus Larynx 2020 Jun 18;47(3):367-376. Epub 2019 Dec 18.

Department of Internal Medicine, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Private bag X20, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, South Africa.

Objectives: Even though there is an association between hearing loss and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), particularly in low- and middle-income countries, further research is needed to investigate the nature of such hearing loss. Likewise, despite documented vestibular alterations in people with HIV, the true occurrence, presentation, and nature of these manifestations are yet to be established. Advances in technology for vestibular testing has allowed for objective site-of-lesion tests such as the video head impulse test (vHIT), cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMPs). Read More

Otol Neurotol 2020 03;41(3):299-307

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Objective: Determine whether an electronic tablet-based Wireless Automated Hearing-Test System can perform high-quality audiometry to assess schoolchildren for hearing loss in the field in Nicaragua.

Study Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: A school and hospital-based audiology clinic in Jinotega, Nicaragua. Read More

J Audiol Otol 2020 Apr 22;24(2):85-90. Epub 2019 Nov 22.

Laboratory of Hearing and Technology, College of Natural Sciences, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.

Background And Objectives: The present study aimed to compare thresholds of direct bone-conduction (BC direct) with those of behaviorally measured BC pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and objectively measured BC auditory brainstem response (ABR) to confirm the clinical feasibility of their relationships. Subjects and.

Methods: Young adults with normal hearing participated in the study to determine the thresholds from three measurements at four testing frequencies. Read More

J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2019 Nov 7;48(1):59. Epub 2019 Nov 7.

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Background: There is evidence to suggest that rates of hearing loss are increasing more rapidly than the capacity of traditional audiometry resources for screening. A novel innovation in tablet, self-administered portable audiometry has been proposed as a solution to this discordance. The primary objective of this study was to validate a tablet audiometer with adult patients in a clinical setting. Read More

Audiol Neurootol 2019 29;24(5):253-257. Epub 2019 Oct 29.

Department of Audiology, AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: The most common complaint of patients affected by chemotherapy-induced hearing loss is difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments despite the use of hearing aids. Cochlear dead regions, those areas with damaged or absent inner hair cells and dendrites, may account for this type of hearing loss. However, it is unknown whether this condition is associated with cisplatin agents. Read More

Trends Hear 2019 Jan-Dec;23:2331216519872378

Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, UK.

Pure-tone threshold audiometry is currently the standard test of hearing. However, in everyday life, we are more concerned with listening to speech of moderate loudness and, specifically, listening to a particular talker against a background of other talkers. FreeHear delivers strings of three spoken digits (0-9, not 7) against a background babble via three loudspeakers placed in front and to either side of a listener. Read More