Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

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 Apr 10. Epub 2020 Apr 10.

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

Ear Hear 2020 Apr 3. Epub 2020 Apr 3.

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

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 2020 Feb 28. 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 Feb 24:1-12. 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 2019 Dec 17. Epub 2019 Dec 17.

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

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

Am J Audiol 2019 Aug 28;28(2S):414-421. Epub 2019 Aug 28.

Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.

Purpose Simultaneous recording of cervical (cVEMP) and ocular (oVEMP) vestibular evoked myogenic potentials aids in reducing the testing time when compared to conventional sequential recordings. The purpose of this study was to examine the test-retest reliability of sequential and simultaneous acquisitions of cVEMP and oVEMP. Method cVEMP and oVEMP were recorded in 35 normal-hearing individuals. Read More

Ear Hear 2020 Mar/Apr;41(2):442-450

Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ear and Hearing, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Objectives: The digits-in-noise test (DIN) has become increasingly popular as a consumer-based method to screen for hearing loss. Current versions of all DINs either test ears monaurally or present identical stimuli binaurally (i.e. Read More

Undersea Hyperb Med 2019 BIMA Special Edition No. Feb;46(3):227-241

Division of Hyperbaric Medicine, Intermountain Medical Center, Murray, Utah and Intermountain LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah U.S.

Background: Audiology clinics have many tools available to evaluate auditory and vestibular complaints. However, many tools lack established normative ranges across the life span. We conducted this study to establish reference ranges across the life span for audiology/vestibular measures commonly used to evaluate patients with traumatic brain injury. Read More

Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2019 May 15;7(9):1494-1498. Epub 2019 May 15.

Department of Child Health, Medical Research Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.

Aim: To evaluate hearing in β-thalassemia major patients on iron chelation therapy by using pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE).

Subjects And Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was done on (48) diagnosed, 6-18 years old, β-thalassemia major patients who had received at least 3 years iron chelating agent deferoxamine (DFO). We performed PTA, DPOAE testing, and tympanometry for all participants. Read More

Otol Neurotol 2019 07;40(6):813-819

Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery and Audiology.

Objective: To test the degree of vestibular end-organ dysfunction by means of contemporary vestibular testing and examine to which extend these findings correlate to the hearing loss, tumor size, and dizziness handicap registered in vestibular schwannoma patients.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Patients: Eighty-nine patients diagnosed with unilateral vestibular schwannoma. Read More

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2019 Aug 21;276(8):2171-2180. Epub 2019 May 21.

Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Enghelab Avenue, Pich-E- Shemiran, P.O. Box: 11365-1683, 11498, Tehran, Iran.

Objectives: Even though many patients undergoing auditory steady-state response (ASSR) testing have some degree of hearing loss, some have normal hearing and ASSR often overestimates the behavioral thresholds in this group. In most commercial ASSR systems such as Chartr EP, a default correction factor is applied to compensate for this difference. Little is known, however, as how the correction factor compensates for the difference between ASSR and pure tone audiometry (PTA) thresholds as a function of carrier or modulation frequency (MF) in a commercial ASSR system. Read More

Ear Hear 2020 Jan/Feb;41(1):39-54

National Military Audiology and Speech Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Objectives: In occupations that involve hearing critical tasks, individuals need to undergo periodic hearing screenings to ensure that they have not developed hearing losses that could impair their ability to safely and effectively perform their jobs. Most periodic hearing screenings are limited to pure-tone audiograms, but in many cases, the ability to understand speech in noisy environments may be more important to functional job performance than the ability to detect quiet sounds. The ability to use audiometric threshold data to identify individuals with poor speech-in-noise performance is of particular interest to the U. Read More

Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital 2020 Feb 25;40(1):57-63. Epub 2019 Mar 25.

Audiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy - Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Italy.

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2019 04 1;7(4):e12033. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

Background: Pure-tone screening (PTS) is considered as the gold standard for hearing screening programs in school-age children. Mobile devices, such as mobile phones, have the potential for audiometric testing.

Objective: This study aimed to demonstrate a new approach to rapidly screen hearing status and provide stratified test values, using a smartphone-based hearing screening app, for each screened ear of school-age children. Read More

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2019 07 5;161(1):63-66. Epub 2019 Mar 5.

1 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

There is underutilization of cochlear implants with delays in implantation linked to distance from implant centers. Telemedicine could connect cochlear implant specialists with patients in rural locations. We piloted telemedicine cochlear implant testing in a small study, largely composed of normal-hearing volunteers to trial this new application of teleaudiology technology. Read More

J Voice 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Faculty of Medicine, E.N.T Department, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt.

Purpose: This study initially investigated the co-occurrence of hearing impairment that had not been previously diagnosed in a group of patients with hyperfunctional dysphonia. Subsequently, it explored whether any correlations exist between quantitative dysphonia severity assessment parameters and distinctive acoustic features of hearing impairment.

Method: The age-stratified participants were 36 patients presenting with hyperfunctional dysphonia to the voice clinic. Read More

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2019 06 19;160(6):1106-1110. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

4 Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Objective: To determine the role of cognitive testing in predicting age-appropriate audiometric responses among children aged 30 to 42 months.

Study Design: Prospective.

Setting: Tertiary care audiology clinic. Read More

Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2019 Jun 11;128(6):508-515. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

3 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA.

Objective: To develop and validate an automated smartphone app that determines bone-conduction pure-tone thresholds.

Methods: A novel app, called EarBone, was developed as an automated test to determine best-cochlea pure-tone bone-conduction thresholds using a smartphone driving a professional-grade bone oscillator. Adult, English-speaking patients who were undergoing audiometric assessment by audiologists at an academic health system as part of their prescribed care were invited to use the EarBone app. Read More

SAGE Open Med Case Rep 2019 12;7:2050313X18823461. Epub 2019 Jan 12.

The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Vast literature exists detailing the identification and management of central auditory processing disorder in children: however, less information is available regarding central auditory processing disorder in the adult population. This study aimed to document the diagnostic and management procedure for adults presenting at a multidisciplinary clinic due to concerns regarding their listening and central auditory processing skills. This retrospective study was a case file audit of two adults (a male, aged 37 years and a female, aged 44 years) who presented at a multidisciplinary (audiology and speech pathology) clinic for a hearing and central auditory processing evaluation. Read More

Audiol Neurootol 2018 24;23(6):335-344. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,

Background: The cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) test measures saccular and inferior vestibular nerve function. The cVEMP can be elicited with different frequency stimuli and interpreted using a variety of metrics. Patients with superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SCD) syndrome generally have lower cVEMP thresholds and larger amplitudes, although there is overlap with healthy subjects. Read More

Osteoporos Int 2019 Apr 16;30(4):863-870. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Manasagangothri, Mysore, Karnataka, 570006, India.

Alteration in the process of bone remodelling results in conditions like osteopenia and osteoporosis in which the bones become susceptible to fracture. The functioning of middle ear bones in such individuals were assessed in this study and it was found that the middle ear bones are equally susceptible to micro-fractures and can cause reduction in the transmission of sound energy.

Introduction: Alteration in the process of bone remodelling or increase in the number of osteoclasts cells as it occurs in osteoporosis and osteopenia are likely to affect the middle ear bones in the same way it affects the skeletal bones. Read More

J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2019 04 8;20(2):187-203. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

National Military Audiology and Speech Pathology Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, 20889, USA.

By allowing bilateral access to sound, bilateral cochlear implants (BI-CIs) or unilateral CIs for individuals with single-sided deafness (SSD; i.e., normal or near-normal hearing in one ear) can improve sound localization and speech understanding in noise. Read More

Otol Neurotol 2019 02;40(2):e130-e134

Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.

Introduction: Menière's Disease (MD) is a disorder of the inner ear consisting of episodic attacks of vertigo associated with aural fullness, tinnitus, and fluctuating hearing loss. Hearing levels in MD can often fluctuate over time, and may eventually decline permanently in a step-wise fashion. There are no current studies examining daily hearing fluctuations for prolonged periods in patients with MD. Read More

Afr Health Sci 2018 Jun;18(2):313-320

Department of Family Medicine, University of Pretoria, Pretoria , South Africa.

Background: Hearing loss prevalence data in South Africa is scarce, especially within primary health care settings.

Objectives: To determine; (i) the prevalence of hearing disorders in patients ≥3 years of age attending two primary health care clinics, and (ii) the nature and characteristics of hearing disorders at these primary health care clinics.

Method: A cross-sectional design was used at two primary health care clinics. Read More

Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2019 Mar 5;118:110-114. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Emory University School of Medicine, 1648 Pierce Drive NE, Atlanta, GA, 30307, USA; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Department of Otolaryngology, Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.

Introduction: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) has been reported to occur at increased frequency in the pediatric sickle cell disease (SCD) population, likely secondary to ototoxic medication regimens and repeat sickling events that lead to end organ damage. Risk and protective factors of SNHL in this population are not fully characterized. The objective of this study was to describe audiology results in children with SCD and the prevalence and sequelae of SNHL. Read More

J Commun Disord 2019 Jan - Feb;77:31-43. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

East Carolina University, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Greenville, NC, 27834, United States.

Background: According to the American Academy of Audiology, a recommendation for frequency-modulation systems may be based upon performances on speech perception tests that do not include background noise.

Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the presumption that non-speech recognition in noise test results are related to speech recognition in noise ability for a group of young adults.

Research Design: Performances on the non-speech recognition in noise tests included in the SCAN-3:A test battery were compared to speech recognition in noise performances as measured with the auditory figure ground subtest of the SCAN-3:A and the Hearing in Noise Test. Read More

J Am Acad Audiol 2019 06 25;30(6):482-492. Epub 2018 Sep 25.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa.

Background: Decentralized detection and monitoring of hearing loss can be supported by new mobile health technologies using automated testing that can be facilitated by minimally trained persons. These may prove particularly useful in an infectious disease (ID) clinic setting where the risk of hearing loss is high.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical utility of mobile and automated audiometry hearing health technology in an ID clinic setting. Read More

J Am Acad Audiol 2019 Jul/Aug;30(7):619-633. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX.

Background: Recreational noise-induced hearing loss (RNIHL) is a major health issue and presents a huge economic burden on society. Exposure to loud music is not considered hazardous in our society because music is thought to be a source of relaxation and entertainment. However, there is evidence that regardless of the sound source, frequent exposure to loud music, including through personal audio systems (PAS), can lead to hearing loss, tinnitus, difficulty processing speech, and increased susceptibility to age-related hearing loss. Read More

Int J Audiol 2019 01 1;58(1):21-28. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

a Department of Audiology , All India Institute of Speech and Hearing , Mysore , India.

Objective: The study aimed at examining the usefulness of inter-frequency amplitude ratio (IFAR) of ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) in identifying Meniere's disease (MD) and differentiating it from benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

Design: A case-control design was used with a double blind approach. Phase 1 included 70 healthy individuals and 36 individuals each with MD and BPPV and Phase 2 included 20 individuals each with MD and BPPV. Read More

Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2018 Dec 3;115:145-148. Epub 2018 Oct 3.

Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria, Lynwood Road, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa.

Objective: This study aimed to determine and describe hearing loss among preschool children in a South African community representative of typical low- and middle income countries (LMIC).

Method: Children between the ages of 3-6 years received a hearing screening at their early childhood development (ECD) center. If a child failed the hearing screening, he/she was seen for a follow-up rescreen and diagnostic assessment if necessary at their ECD center or closest referral clinic. Read More

Telemed J E Health 2019 10 25;25(10):973-978. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Nemours Biomedical Research, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware.

Read More

Ear Hear 2019 Jul/Aug;40(4):918-926

Laboratory of Sensory Neuroscience and Neuroengineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

Objectives: A confluence of recent developments in cloud computing, real-time web audio and machine learning psychometric function estimation has made wide dissemination of sophisticated turn-key audiometric assessments possible. The authors have combined these capabilities into an online (i.e. Read More

Am J Otolaryngol 2019 Jan - Feb;40(1):1-9. Epub 2018 Sep 17.

Center for Hearing and Deafness, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address:

Purpose: One of the most common complaints among the elderly is the inability to understand speech in noisy environments. In many cases, these deficits are due to age-related hearing loss; however, some of the elderly that have difficulty hearing in noise have clinically normal pure-tone thresholds. While speech in noise testing is informative, it fails to identify specific frequencies responsible for the speech processing deficit. Read More

J Am Acad Audiol 2018 10;29(9):826-834

Department of Speech Communication Arts and Sciences, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY.

Background: There are clinical implications associated with knowing when the occlusion effect (OE) must be accounted for during bone conduction (BC) testing because spurious results can occur when errors are made in this regard. The amount of OE produced when insert earphones (IEs) are used varies in the literature; thus, further investigation is warranted.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to determine the OE during BC threshold measurements under the following occluding conditions used clinically: when using partial insertion (PI) versus full insertion (FI) depth and when occluding one versus both ears. Read More

Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital 2018 Aug;38(4):361-368

ENT & Audiology Department, University Hospital of Ferrara, Italy.

Hearing threshold identification in very young children is always problematic and challenging. Electrophysiological testing such as auditory brainstem responses (ABR) is still considered the most reliable technique for defining the hearing threshold. However, over recent years there has been increasing evidence to support the role of auditory steady-state response (ASSR). Read More

Ear Hear 2019 May/Jun;40(3):493-500

Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India.

Objective: There is a growing concern among the scientific community about the possible detrimental effects of signal levels used for eliciting vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) on hearing. A few recent studies showed temporary reduction in amplitude of otoacoustic emissions (OAE) after VEMP administration. Nonetheless, these studies used higher stimulus levels (133 and 130 dB peak equivalent sound pressure level [pe SPL]) than the ones often used (120 to 125 dB pe SPL) for clinical recording of VEMP. Read More

Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2018 Oct 21;127(10):687-693. Epub 2018 Jul 21.

1 Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Objective(s): The objective was to describe the characteristics of hearing losses documented in patients treated with clarithromycin alone for nontuberculous mycobacterial NTM lymphadenitis in a pediatric tertiary care center over a 12-year period.

Methods: An institutional review board (IRB) approval was obtained. A database search was performed using the ICD-10 diagnosis codes 31. Read More

Hear Res 2018 09 5;367:48-58. Epub 2018 Jul 5.

Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.

Individuals suffering from tinnitus often complain about difficulties understanding speech in noisy environments even in the absence of a peripheral hearing loss. This EEG study aimed to investigate whether aspects of phonetic perception are affected by the experience of tinnitus. We examined a sample of individuals with chronic, subjective tinnitus (n = 30, age range 30-50 yrs. Read More

Otol Neurotol 2018 09;39(8):e691-e698

Otolaryngology and Otoneurosurgery Unit, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

Objective: Marshall syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in the COL11A1 gene. This syndrome is characterized by skeletal, ophthalmologic, craniofacial, and auditory abnormalities. Hearing loss is among the main manifestations reported in this disorder being observed in approximately 80% of affected individuals. Read More

J Laryngol Otol 2018 Jun;132(6):505-508

University Department of Otolaryngology,Ninewells Hospital and Medical School,Dundee,Scotland,UK.

Objective: To assess whether pre-operative assessment with a bone conduction hearing device on a softband is an accurate predictor of performance with one of two transcutaneous hearing implants.Study designCohort study comparing pre-and post-operative speech audiometry using correlation analysis.

Methods: Pre-operative pure tone audiometry and aided half optimum speech recognition thresholds were compared with post-operative aided results for each ear that had undergone implantation. Read More