Prediction of the Pure-Tone Average from the Speech Reception and Auditory Brainstem Response Thresholds in a Geriatric Population

Abstract

Background: Although the pure-tone average (PTA) remains the standard assessment of hearing status, its results are questionable in the difficult-to-test geriatric population. In this study, we assessed the relationship between the 4-frequency PTA, speech reception threshold (SRT) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold in the aged. We developed an equation as a tool to predict the actual PTA. Methods: Forty-six subjects more than 60 years of age were consecutively enrolled in the study. All subjects underwent hearing threshold evaluation by means of PTA, SRT and ABR testing on both ears. Using simple linear and multiple regressions, the correlation and multiple regression models between PTA, SRT and ABR thresholds were calculated. Results: The Pearson correlation coefficient between pure-tone thresholds (PTTs) and SRT was highest at 0.5–2 kHz (r = 0.948). The Pearson correlation coefficient between PTTs and ABR thresholds was highest at 2–4 kHz (r = 0.690). The resultant multiple regression model to predict actual PTA was: PTA = 3.274 + 0.774 (SRT) + 0.245 (ABR). Conclusions: In this study, we delineated the relationship between the PTA, SRT and ABR threshold, and established an equation to predict the actual PTA from the SRT and ABR threshold in difficult-to-test patients, allowing accurate assessment of the hearing threshold in geriatric populations.

Effects of Various Extents of High-Frequency Hearing Loss on Speech Recognition and Gap Detection at Low Frequencies in Patients with Sensorineural Hearing Loss

“…The relationship between the extent of hearing loss and speech recognition score was strongest in older individuals with SNHL. Other studies sought correlations between self-assessed hearing inventories and individual pure-tone thresholds [ 12 , 17 , 19 ] or between speech reception and pure-tone thresholds [ 20 ]. All data suggested that the extents of SNHL correlated with the speech recognition scores.…”

“…Previous studies found that speech recognition ability varied among individuals with different extents of SNHL [ 12 , 17 – 20 ]. Andrade et al [ 18 ] reported that the speech recognition thresholds correlated with the extents of SNHL in individuals with nonflat audiograms.…”

“…Andrade et al [ 18 ] reported that the speech recognition thresholds correlated with the extents of SNHL in individuals with nonflat audiograms. Also, self-assessed scores of hearing disability were associated with the pure-tone thresholds [ 17 , 19 , 20 ]. Notably, Dobie [ 19 ] explored the relationships between pure-tone averages (at 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 kHz) and self-assessed hearing disability scores of 1001 patients and found no correlation between self-assessed scores and pure-tone averages in patients whose pure-tone averages were below 25 dB HL.…”

Using a Concha Electrode to Measure Response Patterns Based on the Amplitudes of Cochlear Microphonic Waveforms Across Acoustic Frequencies in Normal-Hearing Subjects

“…The frequency of 500 Hz can be easily tested in the clinic at a behavioral level (audiogram) and at a neural level (tone burst ABR) (Burkey et al 1998;Chien et al 2008;Vander Werff et al 2009;Wang et al 2011), but it is difficult to test it at the cochlear level. Assessment at the cochlear stage is important because abnormal audiograms or tone burst ABRs do not necessarily indicate an abnormal cochlea, such as in the case of auditory neuropathy.…”

Correlation of acoustic features and electrophysiological outcomes of stimuli at the level of auditory brainstem

“…는 자극음이다. 클릭음을 이용한 청성뇌간반응역치 는 2000 ~ 4000 Hz 대역의 순음청력역치와 높은 상관 관계를 보이나,[7] 1000 Hz 이하 저주파수 대역의 순 음청력역치와는 상관관계가 낮아 저주파수 대역에 서 잔존 청력이 있는 난청인들의 주파수별 역치를 추정하기에는 한계가 있다. 이를 보완하기 위해, 주 파수 특이성을 가진 톤버스트음을 사용하여 청성뇌 간반응 검사를 수행할 수 있다.…”