M. Shabana, A. Shalaby, A. Dabbous, Abir Abd-El-Meneim Emara
{"title":"Does hearing aid experience alter un-aided auditory perception?","authors":"M. Shabana, A. Shalaby, A. Dabbous, Abir Abd-El-Meneim Emara","doi":"10.3109/1651386X.2011.625673","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/1651386X.2011.625673","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the ability of hearing aid (HA) experience to improve central auditory skills by making use of auditory plasticity. The aim would be achieved through studying the unaided auditory perception of a time compressed sentence test (TCST), patterning tests (pitch pattern test (PPT), duration pattern test (DPT)), and an auditory fusion test (AFT) in children with and without previous hearing aid usage. Study design: This was a cross-sectional study that included a study group of 19 children with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) having HA experience. Their ages ranged from six to 12 years and were compared to a control group of 27 well-matched children without previous hearing aid experience. Results: The children with SNHL having HA experience showed better scores than their controls in the psycho-physical tests, but this was statistically significant only on the PPT and the AFT at 500 Hz; at 4000Hz. The results were not significant for the DPT or TCST. PPT in both ears improved significantly with increased age of the children having HA experience; TCST at 60% in both ears and AFT at 4 kHz improved significantly with increased duration of HA use. AFT at 4 kHz improved significantly by early onset of HA use. Conclusion: HA experience results in improvement of un-aided auditory perception on some psycho-physical tests for children with mild to moderate SNHL, which emphasizes the need for early and regular use of amplification.","PeriodicalId":88223,"journal":{"name":"Audiological medicine","volume":"24 1","pages":"147 - 155"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74780070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
G. Girotto, N. Pirastu, A. Gasparini, P. D'Adamo, P. Gasparini
{"title":"Frequency of hearing loss in a series of rural communities of five developing countries located along the Silk Road","authors":"G. Girotto, N. Pirastu, A. Gasparini, P. D'Adamo, P. Gasparini","doi":"10.3109/1651386X.2011.616282","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/1651386X.2011.616282","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Objective: Hearing loss (HL) affects millions of people worldwide. While epidemiological data from Western countries are already available, this information is still lacking for many developing countries and rural communities. Here we report, for the first time, a study on the frequency of HL in a series of rural communities located along the Silk Road. Study design: Four hundred and ninety-six subjects (236 males and 260 females ranging from eight to 84 years of age) selected in non-random, convenience samples from rural communities belonging to Terra Madre Organization have been enrolled: 228 from Georgia and Azerbaijan (Caucasus region), 151 from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan (Central Asia), and 117 from Pair (Tajikistan). Subjects underwent pure-tone audiometry at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 kHz; pure-tone average (PTA) values were determined. Results: The overall HL frequency, ranging from 9% to 18%, in the investigated communities located along the Silk Road is higher than that reported for WHO European region countries but comparable with that reported for WHO South-East Asian region countries and other developing countries. Interestingly, with regard to the impact of age, two different disease behaviours have been identified in all the tested communities – one for males and the other for females. In females HL starts at all PTAs between 30 and 40 years of age. In contrast, in males age starts to affect hearing at high frequencies in young adulthood (20–25 years old), but later (50–60 years old) at low and medium frequencies. Conclusion: Despite the difficulty in reaching rural communities, mainly located in remote places, and the need to perform further studies using a larger sample size, recent data provide new information and will contribute to a better definition of HL worldwide frequency.","PeriodicalId":88223,"journal":{"name":"Audiological medicine","volume":"1 1","pages":"135 - 140"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78727246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
X. Bu, Cheng Liu, G. Xing, Ling Zhou, Chuanyu Liang, Yunzhan Zheng, Juang Meng, Youqin Wang, Chong-xuan Yang, Yuqing Liu, B. Du, Yan Zhang, Bo Du
{"title":"WHO Ear and Hearing Disorders Survey in four provinces in China","authors":"X. Bu, Cheng Liu, G. Xing, Ling Zhou, Chuanyu Liang, Yunzhan Zheng, Juang Meng, Youqin Wang, Chong-xuan Yang, Yuqing Liu, B. Du, Yan Zhang, Bo Du","doi":"10.3109/1651386X.2011.631285","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/1651386X.2011.631285","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Objective: To investigate the population based prevalence of ear diseases and hearing impairment in Jiangsu, Sichuan, Guizhou and Jilin Provinces in China, develop strategies to provide scientific data for the global database and to draw up prevention and intervention strategies. Methods: Using the WHO Ear and Hearing Disorders Survey Protocol and the probability proportion to size (PPS) sampling technique, 30,733 residents were targeted for investigation in 150 clusters in four provinces. Every subject had an ear examination and pure tone audiometry. Definitions of disabling hearing loss and the classification of hearing impairment used were in accordance with WHO recommendations. Results: Among 30,733 targeted residents, 29,246 individuals (95.2%) participated in the survey. One thousand, three hundred and sixty individuals (4.4%) were absent; 127 individuals (0.4%) refused. The prevalences of hearing impairment and disabling hearing impairment were 14.2% and 5.2% of investigated individuals, respectively: 9.1% of the sample had a mild hearing loss, 3.8% a moderate degree of hearing loss, 1.1% a severe and 0.3% a profound hearing loss. Using data from the fifth population census in China (2000), we calculated the standardized rates of hearing impairment and hearing disability in our study to be 11.7% and 4.4%, respectively. There was a significant difference in the prevalence between males and females, urban and rural dwellers, as well as for different ages. The prevalence of ear diseases was 6.5% of investigated individuals: the standardized rate was 5.9%; 0.2% of investigated individuals had auricle malformation, 2.2% impacted cerumen, 0.2% otitis externa, 0.3% fungi, 0.1% foreign body, 0.1% acute otitis media, 0.9% chronic suppurative otitis media, 1.8% serous otitis media and 1.3% dry perforation of tympanic membrane. Overall, 8.0% of investigated persons were assessed to be likely to benefit from hearing aids, while 4.0% of persons needed medication, 0.1% language/speech rehabilitation, 1.5% non-urgent surgery and 0.9% other treatment. Conclusions: The high prevalence of hearing impairment and disability is a heavy burden on social development and also hinders normal family life. The government and society as a whole should show more concern about these problems. Strategies for prevention and intervention should be focused on less developed regions, rural areas, aging people and non-infectious conditions. Hearing aids services, medication, professional education and training are particularly important in developing countries.","PeriodicalId":88223,"journal":{"name":"Audiological medicine","volume":"112 1","pages":"141 - 146"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75677517","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Central vestibular compensation: Update","authors":"Hesham Samy, M. El-Badry","doi":"10.3109/1651386X.2011.626151","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/1651386X.2011.626151","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Vestibular compensation involves multiple, parallel plastic routes at various locations in the brain. Experimental studies propose that adaptive changes in the sensitivity of central vestibular system to the inhibitory neurotransmitters GABA and glycine, changes in the electrophysiological excitability of vestibular neurons, changes in the inhibitory control of the brainstem, vestibular networks by the cerebellum, gliosis and neurogenesis in the vestibular nuclei, and activity-dependent reorganization of the synaptic network of the vestibular pathways, are mechanisms involved in central compensation.","PeriodicalId":88223,"journal":{"name":"Audiological medicine","volume":"49 1","pages":"123 - 126"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76447100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Shabana, M. Selim, Amr El Refaie, Tarek El Dessouky, R. Soliman
{"title":"Assessment of Hyperacusis in Egyptian patients: Evaluation of the Arabic version of the Khalfa questionnaire","authors":"M. Shabana, M. Selim, Amr El Refaie, Tarek El Dessouky, R. Soliman","doi":"10.3109/1651386X.2011.624684","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/1651386X.2011.624684","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Objectives: Hyperacusis appears to be a subjective phenomenon, which is not easily defined or quantified by objective measurements. The primary aim of this work was to evaluate the Arabic version of the Khalfa questionnaire for hyperacusis on a sample of normal hearing Egyptians complaining of hyperacusis. The secondary aim was to compare the audiological criteria of this group of hyperacusis patients (with or without tinnitus) with a control group of similar age and gender. Study design: The study group comprised 60 adult patients (age range 19–45 years) having normal hearing and complaining of hyperacusis with or without tinnitus. The control group comprised 20 normal hearing age and gender-matched individuals. All patients were subjected to full history-taking, otological examination, pure tone audiometry, immittance audiometry, uncomfortable loudness levels (ULLs) assessment, a transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) test and, in addition, to the Arabic version of the Khalfa hyperacusis questionnaire. Results: The uncomfortable loudness levels indicated a markedly contracted dynamic range in the hyperacusis group, with the majority of individuals showing ULLs less than 90dB HL. Hyperacusis patients with tinnitus showed significantly lower TEOAEs amplitudes, with overall echo level and reproducibility percent lower than for hyperacusis patients without tinnitus or for the control group. Hyperacusis patients had higher means of total, attentional, social, and emotional scores on the Khalfa questionnaire compared to the control group. The emotional parameter of the questionnaire had the highest score for the hyperacusis patients. Both the emotional and attentional dimension scores were higher in females, while attentional scores were higher for males. The total and social dimensions were affected by age. Conclusions: The emotional impact of noise exposure was more severe than the attentional and social impact in hyperacusis patients. There was a gender difference evident in the results of the Khalfa questionnaire in hyperacusis patients. The Arabic version of the Khalfa hyperacusis questionnaire seems to be a fairly effective tool for the assessment of hyperacusis patients.","PeriodicalId":88223,"journal":{"name":"Audiological medicine","volume":"144 1","pages":"127 - 134"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77545529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Auditory and vestibular findings in patients with vestibular migraine","authors":"Yasser Nafie, M. Friedman, M. Hamid","doi":"10.3109/1651386X.2011.607248","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/1651386X.2011.607248","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Objective: We aimed to report audiological and vestibular test results in patients with vestibular migraine (VM). We used a retrospective analysis study design in the setting of a tertiary referral neuro-otology center. Patients and methods: Data from 55 patients with the diagnosis of vestibular migraine were enrolled into the study. Comprehensive audiometry, electronystagmography (ENG) and vestibular myogenic evoked potentials (VEMP) were the interventions and main outcome measures were the degree and profile of hearing loss, speech discrimination, oculomotor gaze, saccades and pursuit abnormalities, as well as the presence of spontaneous, post head-shake and positional nystagmus. We also measured the caloric response peak slow phase velocity, asymmetry, failure of fixation suppression, and VEMP p12-n23 latency response. Results: Sensorineural hearing loss was present in 71% (39/55) of patients; 53% (29/55) had bilateral symmetrical loss, 9% (5/55) had bilateral asymmetrical loss and 9% (5/55) had unilateral loss. The pattern of hearing loss was flat in 44% (24/55) of patients, low frequency in 3% (2/55) and high frequency in 24% (13/55). The degree of hearing loss was 10–25dB HL in 62% (34/55) of patients and >25dB HL in 9% (5/55). Word discrimination scores were ≥90% in 97% (53/55) of patients and <90% (84–88%) in only 3% (2/55) of patients. Abnormal vestibular findings were present in 87% (48/55). Oculomotor saccades, pursuit, and gaze tests were normal in all patients. Abnormal nystagmus was present in 58% (32/55) of patients; 15% (8/55) had spontaneous nystagmus, 31% (17/55) had post head-shake nystagmus, and 36% (20/55) had non-paroxysmal positional nystagmus. None of the patients had benign paroxysmal positional nystagmus. Caloric responses were normal and symmetrical in 57% (31/55) of patients and showed unilateral weakness in 33% (18/55) of patients. No bilateral weakness was present. Caloric hyperactivity (caloric response >40°/s) was present in 10% (6/55) of patients. All patients showed normal fixation suppression index. VEMP response (p13n23) was present in 66% (33/50) of patients with normal latency and absent in 34% (17/55) of patients. Conclusions: Sixty-two percent (34/55) of the vestibular migraine patients in this study had sensorineural hearing loss (>10–25dB HL), 58% (32/55) abnormal nystagmus, 10% (6/55) hyperactive caloric response, 33% (18/55) caloric asymmetry and 34% (17/55) absent VEMP. The patients in this study did not have central vestibular abnormalities.","PeriodicalId":88223,"journal":{"name":"Audiological medicine","volume":"44 1","pages":"102 - 98"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90260164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Group or individual tinnitus therapy: What matters to participants?","authors":"P. Thompson, H. Pryce, E. Refaie","doi":"10.3109/1651386X.2011.604470","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/1651386X.2011.604470","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Objective: To explore the ‘active ingredient’ of tinnitus therapy groups. Study design: The design was an inductive qualitative study informed by grounded theory. Eight participants, four from a tinnitus group and four from individual therapy with similar content, were invited to discuss their experiences of tinnitus therapy. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using a constant comparative approach. Results: The findings revealed that group experiences facilitate information exchange and social comparison, which facilitates coping. Conclusions: The human dynamics of groups may have an additional therapeutic benefit.","PeriodicalId":88223,"journal":{"name":"Audiological medicine","volume":"10 1","pages":"110 - 116"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78865920","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Models to represent communication partners within the social networks of people with hearing impairment","authors":"V. Manchaiah, D. Stephens","doi":"10.3109/00365521.2011.599228","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/00365521.2011.599228","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Objective: People with hearing impairment have relatively smaller social networks than their normally hearing peers, and may experience more feelings of loneliness. The effects on the person with hearing impairment (PHI) can also impact on their communication partners (CPs). This report discusses the currently available model representing the CPs within the social network context of the PHI and proposes a new model. Study design: The ‘Communication Rings’ proposed and developed by the Ida Institute is discussed. We believe that this model is too simple to represent the complexity and dynamic nature of the CP's role in the life of the PHI and highlights the need for a new model. Results: We suggest that the model ‘Communication World’ based on the analogy of the solar system, may help overcome some of the problems identified. Clinical examples of how to apply this model and its usefulness in rehabilitation are presented. Conclusions: The expanded model could provide novel information, and provision of a visual representation will help CPs understand the problems of the PHI.","PeriodicalId":88223,"journal":{"name":"Audiological medicine","volume":"32 1","pages":"103 - 109"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83826734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Politzer and the Annamites","authors":"D. Stephens","doi":"10.3109/1651386X.2011.598706","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/1651386X.2011.598706","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Politzer in his ‘Geschichte der Ohrenheilkunde’ published in 1907 reported on an unusual belief among the Annamites that the ear is inhabited by a small animal which is responsible for hearing, tinnitus and ear wax. The origins of this report are explored and further information presented.","PeriodicalId":88223,"journal":{"name":"Audiological medicine","volume":"24 1","pages":"117 - 122"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83530524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}