Matthews L J, Lee F S, Mills J H, Dubno J R
Department of Otolaryngology and Communicative Sciences Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA.
J Speech Lang Hear Res. 1997 Feb;40(1):208-14. doi: 10.1044/jslhr.4001.208.
Most measures of auditory sensitivity at extended high frequencies (frequencies greater than 8 kHz) have been obtained from listeners with normal hearing less than 40 years of age. The purpose of this study was (a) to measure thresholds at frequencies above 8 kHz in older listeners who, as a group, have elevated thresholds at lower frequencies, and (b) to assess test-retest reliability, age and gender effects, and the influence of thresholds below 8 kHz. Extended high-frequency (EHF) thresholds were measured for 162 older listeners (60-79 years) using a commercially available high-frequency audiometer, with a frequency range of 8 to 18 kHz and an intensity range of 0 to 110 dB SPL. Thresholds were measured once at the beginning of a 1- to 2-hour test session and then remeasured at the end of the test session. EHF thresholds of older listeners with normal hearing at conventional audiometric frequencies were substantially higher than the thresholds reported for younger listeners, with normal hearing by Dreschler and van der Hulst (1987). EHF thresholds of older listeners with hearing loss at conventional audiometric frequencies were further elevated as compared to older listeners with normal hearing. Differences in EHF thresholds between females and males were either not present or were reduced when gender differences in conventional audiometric thresholds were taken into account. No significant differences were seen in thresholds at 8 kHz and higher between the 60- to 69-and 70- to 79-year-old age groups. Results also indicated that thresholds above 8 kHz can be measured in older listeners within a clinically acceptable +/- 10 dB test-retest range.
大多数针对扩展高频（频率大于8千赫）的听觉敏感度测量是从年龄小于40岁的听力正常的听众中获得的。本研究的目的是：（a）测量低频阈值升高的老年听众在8千赫以上频率的阈值；（b）评估重测信度、年龄和性别效应，以及8千赫以下阈值的影响。使用市售高频听力计对162名老年听众（60 - 79岁）测量扩展高频（EHF）阈值，频率范围为8至18千赫，强度范围为0至110分贝声压级。在1至2小时测试 session开始时测量一次阈值，然后在测试session结束时重新测量。在传统听力测试频率下听力正常的老年听众的EHF阈值显著高于Dreschler和van der Hulst（1987）报告的听力正常的年轻听众的阈值。与听力正常的老年听众相比，在传统听力测试频率下有听力损失的老年听众的EHF阈值进一步升高。当考虑到传统听力测试阈值中的性别差异时，女性和男性之间的EHF阈值差异不存在或减小。在60至69岁和70至79岁年龄组之间，8千赫及以上频率的阈值没有显著差异。结果还表明，在临床上可接受的±10分贝重测范围内，可以测量老年听众8千赫以上的阈值。
