Mishra Srikanta K, Saxena Udit, Rodrigo Hansapani
Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Department of Audiology & Speech Language Pathology, GMERS Medical College & Hospital, Ahmedabad, 380060, India.
Hear Res. 2025 Feb;456:109171. doi: 10.1016/j.heares.2024.109171. Epub 2024 Dec 18.
Hearing loss, particularly age-related hearing loss, significantly impacts health and quality of life worldwide. While much of the research has focused on older adults, the early stages of hearing decline remain relatively unexplored. Longitudinal studies examining hearing changes across the adult lifespan, especially at extended high frequencies (EHFs), are scarce. This prospective longitudinal study aimed to explore the rate of hearing threshold shift in young adults with clinically normal audiograms and to assess whether EHF hearing loss could predict future hearing decline in the standard audiometric range. Hearing thresholds were measured at standard audiometric frequencies (0.25 to 8 kHz) and EHFs (10, 12.5, 14, and 16 kHz) in 71 participants (24 females) aged 19 to 38 years (mean age = 27.8 years). Two testing sessions were conducted nearly 24 months apart. Results revealed that the annual rate of threshold shift was significantly higher for EHFs compared to standard audiometric frequencies. A higher EHF threshold, measured in the initial test session, was associated with a greater rate of threshold shift at standard audiometric frequencies, suggesting that EHF hearing loss may serve as an early marker for subsequent hearing decline. Even with a normal audiogram, individuals with EHF hearing loss are at an increased risk of accelerated hearing deterioration. These findings show preclinical, age-related changes in young adults with normal audiograms and underscore the importance of early detection and monitoring of EHF hearing loss to mitigate the impact of future hearing loss on their overall health and well-being.
听力损失，尤其是与年龄相关的听力损失，在全球范围内对健康和生活质量产生重大影响。虽然大部分研究都集中在老年人身上，但听力下降的早期阶段仍相对未被探索。针对成年人整个生命周期内听力变化的纵向研究，尤其是在扩展高频（EHF）方面的研究很少。这项前瞻性纵向研究旨在探讨听力图临床正常的年轻成年人的听力阈值变化率，并评估EHF听力损失是否可以预测标准听力测定范围内未来的听力下降。对71名年龄在19至38岁（平均年龄 = 27.8岁）的参与者（24名女性）进行了标准听力测定频率（0.25至8 kHz）和EHF（10、12.5、14和16 kHz）的听力阈值测量。相隔近24个月进行了两次测试。结果显示，与标准听力测定频率相比，EHF的年度阈值变化率明显更高。在初始测试阶段测量的较高EHF阈值与标准听力测定频率下较高的阈值变化率相关，这表明EHF听力损失可能是后续听力下降的早期标志。即使听力图正常，患有EHF听力损失的个体听力加速恶化的风险也会增加。这些发现显示了听力图正常的年轻成年人临床前与年龄相关的变化，并强调了早期检测和监测EHF听力损失以减轻未来听力损失对其整体健康和福祉影响的重要性。
