Ahn Jungmin, Choi Ji Eun, Kang Ju Yong, Choi Ik Joon, Lee Myung-Chul, Lee Byeong-Cheol, Hong Sung Hwa, Moon Il Joon
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
J Audiol Otol. 2021 Apr;25(2):80-88. doi: 10.7874/jao.2020.00276. Epub 2021 Jan 19.
Non-linear frequency compression (NLFC) technology compresses and shifts higher frequencies into a lower frequency area that has better residual hearing. Because consonants are uttered in the high-frequency area, NLFC could provide better speech understanding. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effectiveness of NLFC technology on the perception of speech and music in patients with high-frequency hearing loss.
Twelve participants with high-frequency hearing loss were tested in a counter-balanced order, and had two weeks of daily experience with NLFC set on/off prior to testing. Performance was repeatedly evaluated with consonant tests in quiet and noise environments, speech perception in noise, music perception and acceptableness of sound quality rating tasks. Additionally, two questionnaires (the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit and the Korean version of the International Outcome Inventory-Hearing Aids) were administered.
Consonant and speech perception improved with hearing aids (NLFC on/off conditions), but there was no significant difference between NLFC on and off states. Music perception performances revealed no notable difference among unaided and NLFC on and off states. The benefits and satisfaction ratings between NLFC on and off conditions were also not significantly different, based on questionnaires, however great individual variability preferences were noted.
Speech perception as well as music perception both in quiet and noise environments was similar between NLFC on and off states, indicating that real world benefits from NLFC technology may be limited in Korean adult hearing aid users.
非线性频率压缩（NLFC）技术将高频进行压缩并转移到具有较好残余听力的低频区域。由于辅音在高频区域发出，NLFC可提供更好的言语理解。本研究旨在探讨NLFC技术对高频听力损失患者言语和音乐感知的临床效果。
12名高频听力损失参与者按平衡顺序进行测试，在测试前两周每天体验NLFC开启/关闭状态。通过在安静和噪声环境下的辅音测试、噪声中的言语感知、音乐感知以及声音质量评级任务的可接受性对表现进行反复评估。此外，还发放了两份问卷（《助听器效益简要概况》和《国际助听器效果量表韩国版》）。
佩戴助听器（NLFC开启/关闭状态）时辅音和言语感知有所改善，但NLFC开启和关闭状态之间无显著差异。音乐感知表现显示，未佩戴助听器以及NLFC开启和关闭状态之间无明显差异。根据问卷，NLFC开启和关闭状态之间的效益和满意度评分也无显著差异，不过注意到个体偏好存在很大差异。
NLFC开启和关闭状态下，安静和噪声环境中的言语感知以及音乐感知均相似，这表明NLFC技术在韩国成年助听器使用者中的实际效益可能有限。
