BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Auditory temporal resolution, which refers to the time-related aspects of acoustic processing, can be evaluated by the Gaps-In-Noise (GIN) test. We investigated whether the presence of high frequency sensorineural hearing loss (HF-SNHL) affects the temporal resolution of GIN performance in older adults with normal hearing. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Hearing tests including the GIN test were performed in 87 subjects with normal pure tone average. The GIN threshold and percentage of correct answers were compared among 4 groups of participants; older adults with normal hearing (n=18), older adults with HF-SNHL (n=24), young adults with normal hearing (n=24) and young adults with HF-SNHL (n=21). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the mean GIN thresholds between the HF-SNHL group (5.8+/-0.8 msec) and the normal hearing group (6.0+/-0.8 msec) in older adults, whereas the mean GIN thresholds of HF-SNHL group was higher than that of the normal group in young adults (4.6+/-0.3 msec vs. 4.2+/-0.5 msec, p<0.05). The mean percentage of correct answers of HF-SNHL group (62.5+/-5.5%) was not significantly different from that of the normal hearing group (60.6+/-3.9%) in the old, unlike in the young (71.3+/-4.0% with HF-SNHL vs. 76.9+/-4.3% with normal hearing, p<0.05). Age only showed a significant correlation with the GIN performance. Neither the GIN threshold nor the GIN perception level had any relation with the presence of HF-SNHL in older adults. CONCLUSION: We found no evidence that supported the influence of HF-SNHL on auditory temporal resolution in older adults. These results imply that HF-SNHL may be of little importance in gap detection after age-related changes in central auditory system.
Acoustics ; Adult ; Hearing Loss, High-Frequency ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural* ; Hearing Tests ; Hearing* ; Humans ; Young Adult*

Hearing Loss, High-Frequency ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Manufacturing Industry ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Occupational Exposure

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Consonants are uttered in the high frequency range in speech to bring out understanding of our language. As consonants convey most of the word information, listeners with high-frequency hearing loss find it hard to understand speech. Non-linear frequency compression (NLFC) technology compresses and moves higher frequencies into a lower frequency region where better residual hearing is present. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical effectiveness of NLFC technology in patients with high-frequency hearing loss. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Twelve ears representing patients with sloping, high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss were involved in this study. Pure-tone audiometry and Threshold Equalizing Noise Test were conducted initially in all subjects. The subjects were tested in the counter-balanced order, and had two months of everyday experience with NLFC on/off before testing took place. A resting period intervened the two phases. Performance was repeatedly evaluated with Sound Field Audiometry, Word Recognition Score, Reception Threshold for Sentences and Korean version of International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids. RESULTS: Cochlear dead region was detected on 4 kHz of both ears in only one subject. Each subject showed diverse performance and satisfaction with active NLFC condition. Typically, audibility of high-frequency pure-tones improved with NLFC-on condition. However, speech perception both in quiet and noise was not much improved when compared with NLFC-off condition. CONCLUSION: The NLFC technology could improve audibility in high-frequency, but failed to demonstrate benefits regarding speech perception. Further research is needed to validate the effectiveness of the NLFC technology especially in terms of speech intelligibility.
Audiometry ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Ear ; Hearing ; Hearing Aids ; Hearing Loss, High-Frequency* ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Humans ; Noise ; Speech Intelligibility ; Speech Perception

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of drinking on hearing loss of pilot students, especially on high frequency hearing loss. METHOD: According to whether drinking, 517 male pilot students were divided into two groups. The balance of all the factors in addition to drinking in both groups was compared. All the students were examined by pure tone audiometry. The statistical data of this research was processed based on a retrospective cohort study. RESULT: The damage of high frequency (4-8 kHz) auditory threshold in left and right ear in drinking group were obviously higher compared with control group (P < 0.01). The Morbidity of hearing loss in drinking group was significantly higher compared to control group (χ2 =16.620, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Drinking is associated with the hearing loss in pilot students and particularly affects the hearing of high frequency spectrum.
Alcohol Drinking ; adverse effects ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Auditory Threshold ; Cohort Studies ; Deafness ; Ear ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, High-Frequency ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Students

Objective: To understand the current situation of high-frequency hearing loss of workers exposed to occupational noise in Hubei Province and its multi-level influencing factors. Methods: In June 2021, the basic information, occupational history, physical examination results and other relevant information in the "Occupational Health Examinations Case Cards" for noise workers in Hubei Province in 2020 were extracted from the subsystem of the "China Disease Prevention and Control Information System". Multilevel level of logistic model was used to analyze the related factors of high-frequency hearing loss of noise-exposed workers. Results: In 2020, the incidence rate of occupational high-frequency hearing loss in Hubei Province was 8.25% (6450/78152), and the incidence rate in various regions of the province ranged from 1.13% to 19.87%. At the individual level, male, ≥ 30 years of age, 6-10 years of service, small and micro enterprises, as well as construction, mining, manufacturing, transportation and rental services were the risk factors for high-frequency hearing loss (P<0.05). The risk of high-frequency hearing loss among workers in foreign-funded enterprises was significantly lower than that of workers in state-owned/collective enterprises (P<0.05). At the regional level, the younger the age of the employees, the lower the risk of high-frequency hearing loss (P<0.05). There was no significant correlation between the regional economic level and the risk of high-frequency hearing loss (P>0.05) . Conclusion: The incidence rate of occupational high-frequency hearing loss in Hubei Province is low in 2020, but the incidence rate varies greatly in different regions of the province, mainly due to differences in employment age, while the development of regional economic level has not reduced the risk of occupational high-frequency hearing loss.
Male ; Humans ; Child ; Hearing Loss, High-Frequency ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/diagnosis* ; Occupational Diseases/epidemiology* ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects* ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects*

Automobiles ; Hearing Loss, High-Frequency ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/etiology* ; Humans ; Male ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Occupational Diseases/epidemiology* ; Occupational Exposure

Adult ; Automobiles ; Hearing Loss, High-Frequency ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced/etiology* ; Humans ; Male ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Occupational Diseases ; Occupational Exposure

OBJECTIVETo analyze the therapeutic effect of treatment for intermediate and high-frequency sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).

METHODSA prospective clinical multicentre research was conducted using international standardized approach of clinical research. SSNHL Cases with intermediate and high-frequency hearing loss, that accepted no medication from onset of hearing loss within two weeks duration and ages ranged between 18 and 65, were collected. All patients were treated by one of four treatments plans chosen by unified random table.

RESULTS141 patients with intermediate and high-frequency SSNHL were recruited in the research. Twenty subjects were treated with lidocaine, 21 cases with lidocaine and hormone, 40 cases with Ginaton, and 60 cases with Ginaton and hormone. 42 out of 141 (29.79%) patients were total recovery, 24 (17.02%)achieved excellent recovery, 27 (19.15%)achieved partial recovery, and 48 (34.04%) were ineffective. The total effective rate was 65.96%. In lidocaine group, the total effective rate was 55.00%, 66.67% in lidocaine and hormone group, 67.50% in Ginaton group, and 68.33% in Ginaton and hormone group. Considering the total effective rate, there was no statistical difference between four groups (P > 0.05). However, the recovery rate in Ginaton group was significant difference comparing with that in lidocaine group (P = 0.0496). 119 had concomitant symptom of tinnitus, and the tinnitus was improved in patients of 81.51%. With regard to total effective rate of tinnitus in four treatment groups, it was 57.89% (11/19) in lidocaine group, 100.00% (18/18) in lidocaine and hormone group, 88.57% (31/35) in Ginaton group, 78.72% (37/47) in Ginaton and hormone group. There was significant ascendancy in lidocaine and hormone group versus that in lidocaine group (P = 0.002) and Ginaton and hormone group (P = 0.029). And the difference between lidocaine and Ginaton groups was statistical significance (χ(2) = 6.705, P < 0.05). In 43 patients with muffled symptom in aural region, 90.70% was partial recovery. There was no statistical difference between each groups (χ(2) = 5.97,P = 0.74). There were 17 with dizziness or vertigo improved in all cases. Another 10 patients accompanied other complaints all improved.

CONCLUSIONSfor the treat of intermediate and high-frequency SSNHL, the therapeutic effect in hearing has no significantly different between single and combined drug therapies. Considering the recovery rate, there is an obvious advantage in Ginaton group compared with lidocaine group. Tinnitus is the major concomitant symptom in intermediate and high-frequency SSNHL, and lidocaine and hormone therapy should be used.

Adult ; Aged ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss, High-Frequency ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Tinnitus ; Vertigo ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo constitute the animal model of high frequency hearing loss and observer the temporal processing abilities of low frequency regions using prepulse inhibition of auditory startle response (gap-PPI).

METHODSTen guinea pigs were randomly grouped into two groups: the high frequency hearing loss group with six guinea pigs and the control group with four guinea pigs. The former group was exposed to 12 kHz tone at 110 dB SPL for 30 hours to establish the high frequency hearing loss above 8 kHz and the latter group received no stimulations. Before and two, four, six and eight weeks after noise exposure, gap-PPI and auditory brainstem response (ABR) were recorded in both groups. In the gap-PPI experiment, three different background noises as 0.5 - 2 kHz, 0.5 - 4 kHz and 0.5 - 8 kHz were applied to test the temporal gap.

RESULTSHigh frequency hearing loss above 8 kHz was shown two weeks after noise exposure. The averaged ABR thresholds of 16 kHz, 32 kHz and 48 kHz were elevated about 55 dB and shown statistical significance compared to those before exposure (P < 0.05). No significant difference of ABR thresholds were shown between 1 kHz, 2 kHz, 4 kHz and 8kHz before and after noise exposure (P > 0.05). In the control group, the ABR thresholds remained stable during experiment. In the gap-PPI test, two weeks after noise exposure of 8 kHz, the experiment group showed attenuated inhibition ability and recovered gradually four weeks after noise exposure. No statistical differences of inhibition ability at time points of two, four, six and eight weeks after noise exposure of 4 kHz were detected when compared with that of pre-exposure. Under the background noise of 2 kHz, the inhibition ability attenuated and reached statistical significance at 6 - 8 weeks after noise exposure.

CONCLUSIONThe high frequency hearing loss might induce an impairment of the temporal processing in the low frequency region.

Animals ; Auditory Threshold ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Hearing Loss, High-Frequency ; physiopathology ; Male ; Noise ; Reflex, Startle

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of hearing loss by studying the current status of hearing loss, risk factors of hearing loss, exposure level of noise, and everyday habit of hearing in a group of university students, so as to provide information for hearing loss prevention in university students. METHOD: According to the purposive sampling method, 642 freshmen students participated in the study. Pure tone audiometry, and exposure level of noise scale were performed in all participants. RESULT: (1) According to the hearing loss criterion of WHO/PDH97.3, high frequency hearing loss, and noise induced threshold shifts, the hearing loss prevalence was 0.36%, 20.91% and 6.73%, respectively. (2) Multivariant Logistic regression analysis of high-frequency hearing loss indicated that traffic noise exposure and ear infection were risk factor of high frequency hearing loss. CONCLUSION There is a high prevalence of high frequency hearing loss in university students (20.91%), which was high related with traffic noise exposure and ear infection.
Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Hearing Loss, High-Frequency ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Noise ; adverse effects ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Students ; Universities