Modification of the Threshold Equalising Noise (TEN) test for cochlear dead regions for use with steeply sloping high-frequency hearing loss.
Steeply sloping high-frequency hearing loss is often associated with cochlear dead regions. These can be identified by measuring pure-tone thresholds in quiet and in Threshold-Equalising Noise (TEN). However, many patients cannot be adequately tested because the low frequencies in the TEN lead to uncomfortable loudness. We investigated the effect of high-pass filtering on the TEN-test results and the loudness of the TEN. Twenty-four normally hearing subjects and 35 subjects with steeply sloping high-frequency hearing loss were tested, using the standard TEN (TENs), and TEN high-pass filtered at 0.5 kHz (TEN0.5) or 1 kHz (TEN1). For both groups, masked thresholds did not differ across noise types for frequencies above 1 kHz. Over 50% of the hearing-impaired ears tested met the criteria for a dead region at 4 kHz, using all three noise types. However, masked thresholds and the prevalence of positive TEN-test results at 1 kHz were both lower with the TEN 1. The TEN1 was judged the most comfortable noise by 68% of the hearing-impaired subjects. We conclude that high-pass filtering would allow testing at higher TEN levels for patients with steeply sloping hearing loss.
University of Southampton, Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, UK. emarkess@ulb.ac.be
Emily
E
Markessis
Sarosh
S
Kapadia
Kevin
K
Munro
Brian C J
BC
Moore
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003051:Cochlea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006316:Hearing Loss, High-Frequency / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity