Ruey-Fen Hsu1, Chi-Kung Ho, Sheng-Nan Lu, Shun-Sheng Chen. 1. Departments of Otolaryngology and Occupational Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: An objective investigation is needed to verify the existence and severity of hearing impairments resulting from work-related, noise-induced hearing loss in arbitration of medicolegal aspects. We investigated the accuracy of multiple-frequency auditory steady-state responses (Mf-ASSRs) between subjects with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) with and without occupational noise exposure. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Tertiary referral medical centre. METHODS: Pure-tone audiometry and Mf-ASSRs were recorded in 88 subjects (34 patients had occupational noise-induced hearing loss [NIHL], 36 patients had SNHL without noise exposure, and 18 volunteers were normal controls). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Inter- and intragroup comparisons were made. A predicting equation was derived using multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: ASSRs and pure-tone thresholds (PTTs) showed a strong correlation for all subjects (r = .77 ≈ .94). The relationship is demonstrated by the equationThe differences between the ASSR and PTT were significantly higher for the NIHL group than for the subjects with non-noise-induced SNHL (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Mf-ASSR is a promising tool for objectively evaluating hearing thresholds. Predictive value may be lower in subjects with occupational hearing loss. Regardless of carrier frequencies, the severity of hearing loss affects the steady-state response. Moreover, the ASSR may assist in detecting noise-induced injury of the auditory pathway. A multiple linear regression equation to accurately predict thresholds was shown that takes into consideration all effect factors.
OBJECTIVE: An objective investigation is needed to verify the existence and severity of hearing impairments resulting from work-related, noise-induced hearing loss in arbitration of medicolegal aspects. We investigated the accuracy of multiple-frequency auditory steady-state responses (Mf-ASSRs) between subjects with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) with and without occupational noise exposure. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Tertiary referral medical centre. METHODS: Pure-tone audiometry and Mf-ASSRs were recorded in 88 subjects (34 patients had occupational noise-induced hearing loss [NIHL], 36 patients had SNHL without noise exposure, and 18 volunteers were normal controls). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Inter- and intragroup comparisons were made. A predicting equation was derived using multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: ASSRs and pure-tone thresholds (PTTs) showed a strong correlation for all subjects (r = .77 ≈ .94). The relationship is demonstrated by the equationThe differences between the ASSR and PTT were significantly higher for the NIHL group than for the subjects with non-noise-induced SNHL (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Mf-ASSR is a promising tool for objectively evaluating hearing thresholds. Predictive value may be lower in subjects with occupational hearing loss. Regardless of carrier frequencies, the severity of hearing loss affects the steady-state response. Moreover, the ASSR may assist in detecting noise-induced injury of the auditory pathway. A multiple linear regression equation to accurately predict thresholds was shown that takes into consideration all effect factors.
Authors: Stavros Hatzopoulos; Joseph Petruccelli; Lech Śliwa; Wiesław W Jędrzejczak; Krzysztof Kochanek; Henryk Skarżyński Journal: Med Sci Monit Date: 2012-07