title: Severe difficulties with word recognition in noise after platinum chemotherapy in childhood, and improvements with open-fitting hearing-aids.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate word recognition in noise in subjects treated in childhood with chemotherapy, study benefits of open-fitting hearing-aids for word recognition, and investigate whether self-reported hearing-handicap corresponded to subjects' word recognition ability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects diagnosed with cancer and treated with platinum-based chemotherapy in childhood underwent audiometric evaluations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen subjects (eight females and seven males) fulfilled the criteria set for the study, and four of those received customized open-fitting hearing-aids.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects with cisplatin-induced ototoxicity had severe difficulties recognizing words in noise, and scored as low as 54% below reference scores standardized for age and degree of hearing loss. Hearing-impaired subjects' self-reported hearing-handicap correlated significantly with word recognition in a quiet environment but not in noise. Word recognition in noise improved markedly (up to 46%) with hearing-aids, and the self-reported hearing-handicap and disability score were reduced by more than 50%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates the importance of testing word recognition in noise in subjects treated with platinum-based chemotherapy in childhood, and to use specific custom-made questionnaires to evaluate the experienced hearing-handicap. Open-fitting hearing-aids are a good alternative for subjects suffering from poor word recognition in noise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Sweden. einar-jon.einarsson@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Einar-Jón
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Einarsson
authors.forename: Hannes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wiebe
authors.forename: Per-Anders
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Fransson
authors.forename: Måns
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magnusson
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moëll
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001302:Audiometry, Speech; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002648:Child; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012048:Correction of Hearing Impairment / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013067:Speech Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002945:Cisplatin