Auditory Lab, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences, International Islamic University of Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia.
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2023 Oct;280(10):4391-4400. doi: 10.1007/s00405-023-07929-7. Epub 2023 Mar 29.
Pure-tone audiometry (PTA) is the gold standard for screening and diagnosis of hearing loss but is not always accessible. This study evaluated a simplified cochlear frequency selectivity (FS) measure as an alternative option to screen for early frequency-specific sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).
FS measures at 1 and 4 kHz center frequencies were obtained using a custom-made software in normal-hearing (NH), slight SNHL and mild-to-moderate SNHL subjects. For comparison, subjects were also assessed with the Malay Digit Triplet Test (DTT) and the shortened Malay Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ) questionnaire.
Compared to DTT and SSQ, the FS measure at 4 kHz was able to distinguish NH from slight and mild-to-moderate SNHL subjects, and was strongly correlated with their thresholds in quiet determined separately in 1-dB step sizes at the similar test frequency. Further analysis with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves indicated area under the curve (AUC) of 0.77 and 0.83 for the FS measure at 4 kHz when PTA thresholds of NH subjects were taken as ≤ 15 dB HL and ≤ 20 dB HL, respectively. At the optimal FS cut-off point for 4 kHz, the FS measure had 77.8% sensitivity and 86.7% specificity to detect 20 dB HL hearing loss.
FS measure was superior to DTT and SSQ questionnaire in detecting early frequency-specific threshold shifts in SNHL subjects, particularly at 4 kHz. This method could be used for screening subjects at risk of noise-induced hearing loss.
纯音测听（PTA）是筛查和诊断听力损失的金标准，但并非总是可行。本研究评估了一种简化的耳蜗频率选择性（FS）测量方法，作为筛查早期频率特异性感音神经性听力损失（SNHL）的替代选择。
使用定制软件在正常听力（NH）、轻度 SNHL 和轻度至中度 SNHL 受试者中获得 1 和 4 kHz 中心频率的 FS 测量值。为了比较，还使用马来语数字三连音测试（DTT）和缩短的马来语言语、空间和听力质量量表（SSQ）问卷对受试者进行评估。
与 DTT 和 SSQ 相比，4 kHz 的 FS 测量值能够区分 NH 与轻度和轻度至中度 SNHL 受试者，并且与他们在安静状态下的阈值强相关，阈值是在相似测试频率下以 1 dB 的步长单独确定的。进一步的接收器操作特性（ROC）曲线分析表明，当以 PTA 阈值为≤15 dB HL 和≤20 dB HL 分别作为 NH 受试者的阈值时，4 kHz 的 FS 测量值的曲线下面积（AUC）分别为 0.77 和 0.83。在 4 kHz 的最佳 FS 截止点，FS 测量值对 20 dB HL 听力损失的灵敏度为 77.8%，特异性为 86.7%。
FS 测量值在检测 SNHL 受试者的早期频率特异性阈值变化方面优于 DTT 和 SSQ 问卷，特别是在 4 kHz 时。这种方法可用于筛查有噪声性听力损失风险的受试者。
