title: The role of a family history in King Kopetzky Syndrome (obscure auditory dysfunction).
abstract: King Kopetzky Syndrome (KKS) is a common condition in which individuals with normal audiograms complain of hearing difficulties, particularly in noisy places. Several studies have shown many patients with KKS to have a family history of hearing problems. In 82 consecutive patients with KKS and normal middle ear function, we compared the performance of those with and without a family history of hearing impairment on a number of sensitized tests. Those with a family history were more likely to have notches on Audioscan testing (p < 0.005) and these notches were broader than those found in patients with no family history (p < 0.05). There was also a tendency for those with a family history to be more likely to have notches on DPOAEs (p < 0.07), and the reproducibility of the TOAEs was poorer in those with a family history. Psychological testing showed males with a family history to have higher scores on free-floating anxiety (p < 0.01) and obsessionality (p < 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Welsh Hearing Institute, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001308:Auditory Perceptual Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D006315:Hearing Loss, Functional / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013063:Speech Discrimination Tests; D013577:Syndrome