Realistic Environment Audiometric Booth: Development and Clinical Validation

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Melisa Vigliano ◽  
Alicia Huarte ◽  
Diego Borro ◽  
Unai Lasarte ◽  
Manuel J. Manrique Rodriguez

Background: Technological developments to treat hearing loss with different types of hearing aids and auditory implants have improved the auditory perception of patients, particularly in highly complex listening conditions. These devices can be fitted and adapted to enhance speech perception. Audiological tests that assess hearing with and without auditory devices have traditionally taken place in sound-attenuated audiometric booths. Although the insights gained from these tests are extremely useful, they do not accurately reflect everyday listening situations, and accurate information about the potential benefits of the hearing device in real acoustic scenarios cannot be established. Consequently, it is difficult to optimize this technology since fitting cannot be customized. Objectives: The aim of this study was to validate an audiological testing method using a new development, the Realistic Environment Audiometric Booth (REAB), in clinical practice. Materials: We used specifically designed software to perform audiological tests in an 8 m2 sound-attenuated booth. The REAB was designed to conduct audiological tests in standard testing conditions and in new hearing scenarios that simulate real-life situations since sound can be emitted simultaneously or alternately 360° around the patient, along with 3D images. Methods: Prospective study in which subjects were tested randomly in the REAB and the conventional booth (CB) in free field. Results: 150 subjects were recruited, mean age 56 ± 20.7 years. Auditory outcomes for pure-tone audiometry showed a high correlation; this was also the case for speech audiometries in quiet and in noise. The outcome of the new scenarios with real-life noise was plotted, including the mean values and their confidence intervals. A decreasing trend was observed in the results obtained by the different groups, according to their hearing levels. Conclusions: We have developed and validated a new audiological testing method that enables hearing ability to be assessed in listening conditions similar to those found in real life. The REAB complements the tests performed in CBs, thereby aiding the diagnostic process by reproducing acoustic and visual scenarios that conventional tests do not offer.

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (01) ◽  
pp. 012-017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fayez Bahmad Jr ◽  
Carolina Cardoso ◽  
Fernanda Caldas ◽  
Monique Barreto ◽  
Anacléia Hilgenberg ◽  
...  

Introduction The bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) is a bone conduction system that transmits the sound directly to the inner ear by surpassing the skin impedance and the subcutaneous tissue. It is indicated for patients with mixed, conductive and unilateral sensorineural hearing loss who did not benefit from conventional hearing aids (HAs). Although the benefits from BAHA are well demonstrated internationally, this field still lacks studies in Brazil. Objective To assess the auditory rehabilitation process in BAHA users through audiological, speech perception and tinnitus aspects. Methods Individuals with hearing loss were assessed before and after the implantation. The participants were subjected to pure tone audiometry in free field, functional gain audiometry, speech perception tests, tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) in open format, and to the visual analog scale (VAS). Results It was found that the participants benefited from the use of BAHA. The difference in the performance of the participants before and after the BAHA surgery was significant in terms of hearing acuity. There was no statistically significant difference in the speech perception tests. The tinnitus assessment showed that 80% of the participants scored slight tinnitus severity in THI after using a BAHA. Eighty percent of the participants classified their tinnitus as absent to mild in the VAS after the surgery. Conclusion Based on the results of the current study, we can conclude that the participants improved both the auditory perception and the tinnitus handicap.


1994 ◽  
Vol 103 (11) ◽  
pp. 872-878 ◽  
Author(s):  
George G. Browning ◽  
Stuart Gatehouse

Implantable bone conduction hearing aids are a valuable alternative to conventional aids for those who cannot use a conventional air conduction aid or find it difficult to use because of an aural discharge, most commonly due to chronic otitis media. Previously reported series of the use of a bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) come from the originators of this device, and an independent report of their benefit and use, especially in previous air conduction aid users, would be of value. Twenty-three patients were evaluated at least 6 months after implantation of a BAHA. All 7 previous bone conduction aid users were delighted with their BAHA, reporting increased comfort and hearing benefit that was backed by audiometric evidence. Of the 16 individuals who previously used an air conduction aid, 11 (69%) were delighted users of their BAHA. Unfortunately, the other 5 (31%) reverted to solely using their air conduction aid. There was no obvious predictor as to how these individuals might have been identified prior to implantation. In particular, their pure tone thresholds, especially the bone conduction thresholds, were no different from those of the 11 BAHA users. However, in free field audiometry, the users gained superior benefit from their BAHA compared to their air conduction aid, whereas the nonusers did not. In conclusion, in all series to date, previous users of a conventional bone conduction aid have been delighted users of a BAHA and have gained superior audiometric benefit. This is not necessarily the case with previous air conduction aid users. As most patients rate hearing ability to be more important than absence of an aural discharge, it is important to develop methods that might predict benefit from a BAHA prior to implantation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (07) ◽  
pp. 648-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabrielle H. Saunders ◽  
Ian Odgear ◽  
Anna Cosgrove ◽  
Melissa T. Frederick

AbstractThere have been numerous recent reports on the association between hearing impairment and cognitive function, such that the cognition of adults with hearing loss is poorer relative to the cognition of adults with normal hearing (NH), even when amplification is used. However, it is not clear the extent to which this is testing artifact due to the individual with hearing loss being unable to accurately hear the test stimuli.The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether use of amplification during cognitive screening with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) improves performance on the MoCA. Secondarily, we investigated the effects of hearing ability on MoCA performance, by comparing the performance of individuals with and without hearing impairment.Participants were 42 individuals with hearing impairment and 19 individuals with NH. Of the individuals with hearing impairment, 22 routinely used hearing aids; 20 did not use hearing aids.Following a written informec consent process, all participants completed pure tone audiometry, speech testing in quiet (Maryland consonant-nucleus-consonant [CNC] words) and in noise (Quick Speech in Noise [QuickSIN] test), and the MoCA. The speech testing and MoCA were completed twice. Individuals with hearing impairment completed testing once unaided and once with amplification, whereas individuals with NH completed unaided testing twice.The individuals with hearing impairment performed significantly less well on the MoCA than those without hearing impairment for unaided testing, and the use of amplification did not significantly change performance. This is despite the finding that amplification significantly improved the performance of the hearing aid users on the measures of speech in quiet and speech in noise. Furthermore, there were strong correlations between MoCA score and the four frequency pure tone average, Maryland CNC score and QuickSIN, which remain moderate to strong when the analyses were adjusted for age.It is concluded that the individuals with hearing loss here performed less well on the MoCA than individuals with NH and that the use of amplification did not compensate for this performance deficit. Nonetheless, this should not be taken to suggest the use of amplification during testing is unnecessary because it might be that other unmeasured factors, such as effort required to perform or fatigue, were decreased with the use of amplification.


1988 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. A. Busby ◽  
Y. C. Tong ◽  
G. M. Clark

The identification of consonants in a/-C-/a/nonsense syllables, using a fourteen-alternative forced-choice procedure, was examined in 4 profoundly hearing-impaired children under five conditions: audition alone using hearing aids in free-field (A),vision alone (V), auditory-visual using hearing aids in free-field (AV1), auditory-visual with linear amplification (AV2), and auditory-visual with syllabic compression (AV3). In the AV2 and AV3 conditions, acoustic signals were binaurally presented by magnetic or acoustic coupling to the subjects' hearing aids. The syllabic compressor had a compression ratio of 10:1, and attack and release times were 1.2 ms and 60 ms. The confusion matrices were subjected to two analysis methods: hierarchical clustering and information transmission analysis using articulatory features. The same general conclusions were drawn on the basis of results obtained from either analysis method. The results indicated better performance in the V condition than in the A condition. In the three AV conditions, the subjects predominately combined the acoustic parameter of voicing with the visual signal. No consistent differences were recorded across the three AV conditions. Syllabic compression did not, therefore, appear to have a significant influence on AV perception for these children. A high degree of subject variability was recorded for the A and three AV conditions, but not for the V condition.


Author(s):  
Л. Е. Голованова ◽  
Е. А. Огородникова ◽  
Е. С. Лаптева ◽  
М. Ю. Бобошко

Целью исследования было изучение качества жизни лиц с нарушениями слуха в разных возрастных группах. Обследованы 100 пациентов, обратившихся в городской сурдологический центр для взрослых в связи с нарушением слуха: 50 человек - 34-59 лет, 50 - 60 лет и старше, из которых 32 человека были пожилого возраста (60-74 года)и 18 - старческого (75-86 лет). Степень тугоухости оценивали на основании результатов тональной пороговой аудиометрии. Для исследования качества жизни все пациенты заполняли общий опросник MOS SF-36, отражающий физический и психологический компоненты здоровья, а также специальный опросник HHIА(E)-S для лиц с нарушениями слуха. Установлено, что шкала HHIА(E)-S демонстрирует высокую корреляцию со степенью тугоухости у пациентов моложе 60 лет ( R =0,98; достоверность различий на уровне p <0,05), которая снижается у пациентов 60 лет и старше ( R =0,94; различия в оценках при разной степени тугоухости недостоверны). Значительные трудности в старшей возрастной группе могут быть связаны с тем, что людям пожилого и, особенно, старческого возраста сложно пользоваться слуховыми аппаратами (или они для них неэффективны) и оценивать свои затруднения по шкалам опросника. Целесообразно использовать шкалу HHIА(Е)-S в качестве скринингового инструмента для раннего выявления тугоухости, направления пациентов к сурдологу и своевременного слухопротезирования. The aim of the research was to study the quality of life in hearing impaired patients of different age. 100 patients referred to the city audiology centre because of their hearing disorders were examined: 50 patients from 34 to 59 years old and 50 patients from 60 years and older, from which 32 patients were of older age (60 to 74 years old) and 18 of oldest age (75 to 86 years old). A degree of hearing loss was assessed according to results of pure tone audiometry. To study the quality of life all patients filled in the questionnaire MOS SF-36, which evaluates physical and psychological components of health, and the questionnaire HHIA(E)-S, designed specifically for patients with hearing disorders. The HHIA(E)-S scale was found to show high correlation with hearing loss degree in patients younger than 60 years old ( R =0,98 with statistically significant difference, p <0,05), with decreasing correlation in patients from 60 years and older ( R =0,98; no significant difference while assessing various hearing loss degrees). Considerable difficulties in this age group may be explained by the fact, that older and especially oldest patients have a challenge with hearing aids usage (or they are of low efficiency for them) and with assessing theirs difficulties on the questionnaire scales. The HHIA(E)-S scale is useful as a screening tool for early detection of hearing loss, referral of patients to an audiologist and prompt hearing aid fitting.


Author(s):  
Nurkhalik Wahdanial Asbara

Technological developments and changes in government systems are developing rapidly. Both of these lead to efforts to carry out duties, protect functions and serve the community. This encourages the government to take various adjustment steps quickly in line with the dynamics of development that occur. One of them is through a population census. The population census is an important issue that must be handled properly. The population census in this study takes population data in an area based on the number of male population, female population, ratio, and population density. The data was taken and submitted to the Makassar City Statistics Agency. Population Census is a presentation of information that has the ability to present accurate information, and helps facilitate the search for a population census data. The population census is carried out every 5 years which is carried out by census officers to carry out data collection to each resident's house, the data collection process is carried out by conventional recording and submitting it to the central statistics agency for database entry. With this application, it is expected to provide convenience to Population census officers to perform the process of inputting population data and the data is directly stored in the database without having to return to the office to input again.


Author(s):  
Л. Е. Голованова ◽  
Е. А. Огородникова ◽  
Н. С. Белокурова ◽  
Е. С. Лаптева ◽  
М. Ю. Бобошко

Целью исследования был сравнительный анализ жалоб и аудиологических показателей у пациентов сурдологического центра в зависимости от возраста. Представлены результаты обследования 300 первичных пациентов (случайная выборка), обратившихся к сурдологу-оториноларингологу в течение 1 мес. В группу молодых пациентов (19-44 года) вошли 40 человек; в группу среднего возраста (45- 59 лет) - 62 человека; в группу пожилых (60-74 года) - 100 человек; в группу старческого возраста (75-90 лет) - 98 человек. Обследование включало сбор жалоб и анамнеза, ЛОР-осмотр, тональную пороговую аудиометрию, импедансометрию, речевую аудиометрию в наушниках для выявления признаков центральных слуховых расстройств или в свободном звуковом поле для оценки эффективности слухопротезирования. Установлено, что для ранней диагностики тугоухости и профилактики возрастных сенсорнокогнитивных дисфункций целесообразно использовать не только результаты тональной пороговой аудиометрии, но и данные речевой аудиометрии, а также анализ субъективных жалоб. Результаты работы свидетельствуют о необходимости организации скрининга состояния слуха в рамках диспансеризации населения старше 60 лет. The aim of the study was a comparative analysis of complaints and audiological findings in patients of the audiological center depending on their age. The results of the examination of 300 fi rstly consulted patients (random sample) are presented. The group of young patients (19-44 years) included 40 people; middle age (45-59 years) - 62 people; elderly (60-74 years) - 100 people; senile age (75-90 years) - 98 people. The survey included the collection of complaints and anamnesis, ENT checkup, pure tone audiometry, impedancemetry, speech audiometry in headphones to detect the signs of Central Auditory Processing Disorder or in the free sound field to assess the effectiveness of hearing aids. It was found that for early diagnosis of hearing loss and prevention of age-related sensory-cognitive dysfunction, it is advisable to use not only the results of pure tone audiometry, but also the data of speech audiometry, as well as the analysis of subjective complaints. The results of the work indicate the need for hearing screening in the population over 60 years old.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0250829
Author(s):  
Nancy Perrottet ◽  
Mario Fernández-Ruiz ◽  
Isabelle Binet ◽  
Michael Dickenmann ◽  
Suzan Dahdal ◽  
...  

Acute antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) remains a challenge after kidney transplantation (KT). As there is no clear-cut treatment recommendation, accurate information on current therapeutic strategies in real-life practice is needed. KT recipients from the multicenter Swiss Transplant Cohort Study treated for acute AMR during the first post-transplant year were included retrospectively. We aimed at describing the anti-rejection protocols used routinely, as well as patient and graft outcomes, with focus on infectious complications. Overall, 65/1669 (3.9%) KT recipients were treated for 75 episodes of acute AMR. In addition to corticosteroid boluses, most common therapies included plasmapheresis (56.0%), intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) (38.7%), rituximab (25.3%), and antithymocyte globulin (22.7%). At least one infectious complication occurred within 6 months from AMR treatment in 63.6% of patients. Plasmapheresis increased the risk of overall (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.89; P-value = 0.002) and opportunistic infection (HR: 5.32; P-value = 0.033). IVIg exerted a protective effect for bacterial infection (HR: 0.29; P-value = 0.053). The recovery of renal function was complete at 3 months after AMR treatment in 67% of episodes. One-year death-censored graft survival was 90.9%. Four patients (6.2%) died during the first year (two due to severe infection). In this nationwide cohort we found significant heterogeneity in therapeutic approaches for acute AMR. Infectious complications were common, particularly among KT recipients receiving plasmapheresis.


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