Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2023 Nov;169(5):1163-1169. doi: 10.1002/ohn.349. Epub 2023 Apr 16.
To determine normative values for the Inner Effectiveness of Auditory Rehabilitation (Inner EAR) scale, a validated instrument utilized to study the impact of hearing loss and potential treatments.
Observational outcomes study.
Academic medical center and community care sites.
We included patients who were at least 18 years of age and completed the Inner EAR scale, pure-tone audiometry, and word recognition score assessment. Based on audiometry results, patients were categorized as having: (1) normal bilateral hearing, (2) unilateral hearing loss, and (3) bilateral hearing loss. The distributions of Inner EAR scale scores were assessed within each category. Fisher's exact test was utilized to determine whether data-driven threshold values could discriminate among the 3 clinical groups.
Two hundred and twenty-two consecutive patients with hearing-related complaints met inclusion criteria. Mean Inner EAR scores for patients with bilateral hearing loss (29.2, interquartile range [IQR] 10-41.5), unilateral hearing loss (38.9, IQR 23-49), and normal hearing (46.6, IQR 31-62) were significantly different (analysis of variance F < 0.0001). An Inner EAR score threshold of 50 supported the ability to statistically significantly discriminate between bilateral hearing loss and normal hearing (p = .003), as well as between unilateral hearing loss and normal hearing (p = .015).
An Inner EAR score normative threshold value of 50 provides significant discriminatory ability between normal hearing and unilateral or bilateral hearing loss on audiometry. Normative values provide useful, frequently referenced data when assessing responses to treatment. Based on these data, this threshold may help distinguish patients with and without perceived functional impact from hearing loss.
确定经过验证的听觉康复内在有效性（Inner EAR）量表的正常值，该量表用于研究听力损失及其潜在治疗的影响。
观察性结局研究。
学术医疗中心和社区护理点。
我们纳入了至少 18 岁且完成 Inner EAR 量表、纯音测听和单词识别评分评估的患者。根据听力测试结果，患者分为：（1）双侧听力正常，（2）单侧听力损失，和（3）双侧听力损失。评估每个类别中 Inner EAR 量表评分的分布情况。利用 Fisher 精确检验确定基于数据的阈值是否可以区分 3 个临床组。
222 例有听力相关主诉的连续患者符合纳入标准。双侧听力损失患者的 Inner EAR 评分均值（29.2，四分位距[IQR]10-41.5）、单侧听力损失患者（38.9，IQR 23-49）和听力正常患者（46.6，IQR 31-62）的评分存在显著差异（方差分析 F<0.0001）。Inner EAR 评分阈值为 50 可支持统计学上显著区分双侧听力损失和正常听力（p=0.003），以及单侧听力损失和正常听力（p=0.015）。
Inner EAR 评分的 50 分正常阈值在听力测试中提供了正常听力与单侧或双侧听力损失之间的显著区分能力。正常值提供了评估治疗反应时有用且经常参考的数据。基于这些数据，该阈值可能有助于区分听力损失患者与感知功能影响患者。
