The comparison of different calculation formulas for the interpretation of the pure-tone audiometry in the evaluation of professional hearing-loss.
The authors report the analysis of 761 cases of auditive impairment, of which 676 are due to professional noise exposure. They compare the different interpretation formulas of the pure-tone audiometry (Fletcher-Fournier-Fund of Occupational Diseases (FOD) the one to the other by means of regression analyses. Moreover, different cut-off values are discussed on the basis of their sensibility, specificity and validity in comparison with the subjective repercussion of the impairment on the social relations of the individual. The authors demonstrate the advantage of the use of the FOD formula for the evaluation of subjective hearing loss. For the professional hearing loss the limits of 50 or 55 dB FOD give the highest validity. For the hearing loss of non professional origin the highest validity is obtained with the cut-off value of 60 dB FOD corresponding to 50 dB Fletcher or Fournier. The differences between the latter two formulas are unsignificant.
D001299:Audiometry; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012044:Regression Analysis