[Validation of the chronometer test as a method of screening for hypoacusis in patients aged 65 years and older].
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of the chronometry test as a screening procedure for hypoacusia compared with tonal audiometry, in patients over 65 years.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Mariañamansa health area (Ourense).


METHODS
The first 49 patients over 65 who came to the medical consultations in June and July 1992 were selected, irrespective of the reasons for their visit; there were 17 males and 32 females, with and average age of 72.4 +/- 4.6 and 71.9 +/- 4.5. Only one patients consulted directly about loss of hearing.


RESULTS
A statistically significant association was found between the chronometry test and the audiometry test (gold-standard), significant at p < 0.005 for the left ear and p < 0.05 for the right ear. The test achieved a sensitivity of 0.85 and specificity of 0.76 in the case of the left ear, and 0.84 (sensitivity) and 0.56 (specificity) for the right ear. The kappa rate was 0.55 for the right ear and 0.67 for the left ear, showing agreement that went well beyond chance.


CONCLUSIONS
In our view, the chronometry test constitutes an cheap, effective, simple, and replicable procedure for the detection of hypoacusia in patients aged over 65, and one which can usefully be used when no audioscope is available.
Menéndez Villalva
C
C
Unidad Docente de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, Equipo de Atención Primaria de Mariñamansa, Complejo Hospitalario Cristal-Piñor, Orense.
Gayoso Diz
P
P
Fariña Conde
J
J
Núñez Losada
C
C
García Sancho
E
E
Sánchez Solís
B
B
del Alamo Alonso
A J
AJ
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
Validación del test del cronómetro como método de cribaje de hipoacusias en pacientes de más de 65 años.