Audiometric analyses confirm a cochlear component, disproportional to age, in stapedial otosclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
To report the preoperative audiometric profile of surgically confirmed otosclerosis.


METHODS
Retrospective, multicenter study.


METHODS
Four tertiary referral centers.


METHODS
One thousand sixty-four surgically confirmed patients with otosclerosis.


METHODS
Therapeutic ear surgery for hearing improvement.


METHODS
Preoperative audiometric air conduction (AC) and bone conduction (BC) hearing thresholds were obtained retrospectively for 1064 patients with otosclerosis. A cross-sectional multiple linear regression analysis was performed on audiometric data of affected ears. Influences of age and sex were analyzed and age-related typical audiograms were created. Bone conduction thresholds were corrected for Carhart effect and presbyacusis; in addition, we tested to see if separate cochlear otosclerosis component existed. Corrected thresholds were than analyzed separately for progression of cochlear otosclerosis.


RESULTS
The study population consisted of 35% men and 65% women (mean age, 44 yr). The mean pure-tone average at 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz was 57 dB hearing level. Multiple linear regression analysis showed significant progression for all measured AC and BC thresholds. The average annual threshold deterioration for AC was 0.45 dB/yr and the annual threshold deterioration for BC was 0.37 dB/yr. The average annual gap expansion was 0.08 dB/year. The corrected BC thresholds for Carhart effect and presbyacusis remained significantly different from zero, but only showed progression at 2 kHz.


CONCLUSIONS
The preoperative audiological profile of otosclerosis is described. There is a significant sensorineural component in patients with otosclerosis planned for stapedotomy, which is worse than age-related hearing loss by itself. Deterioration rates of AC and BC thresholds have been reported, which can be helpful in clinical practice and might also guide the characterization of allegedly different phenotypes for familial and sporadic otosclerosis.
Topsakal
Vedat
V
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Antwerp University Hospital UZA, Belgium. Vedat.topsakal@uza.be
Fransen
Erik
E
Schmerber
Sébastien
S
Declau
Frank
F
Yung
Matthew
M
Gordts
Frans
F
Van Camp
Guy
G
Van de Heyning
Paul
P
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D003051:Cochlea / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010040:Otosclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013199:Stapes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013201:Stapes Surgery / Q000379:methods