title: Patient-reported speech in noise difficulties and hyperacusis symptoms and correlation with test results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare self-reported symptoms of difficulty hearing speech in noise and hyperacusis in adults with auditory processing disorders (APDs) and normal controls; and to compare self-reported symptoms to objective test results (speech in babble test, transient evoked otoacoustic emission [TEOAE] suppression test using contralateral noise).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective case-control pilot study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two participants were recruited in the study: 10 patients with reported hearing difficulty, normal audiometry, and a clinical diagnosis of APD; and 12 normal age-matched controls with no reported hearing difficulty. All participants completed the validated Amsterdam Inventory for Auditory Disability questionnaire, a hyperacusis questionnaire, a speech in babble test, and a TEOAE suppression test using contralateral noise.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients had significantly worse scores than controls in all domains of the Amsterdam Inventory questionnaire (with the exception of sound detection) and the hyperacusis questionnaire (P < .005). Patients also had worse TEOAE suppression test results in both ears than controls; however, this result was not significant after Bonferroni correction. Strong correlations were observed between self-reported symptoms of difficulty hearing speech in noise and speech in babble test results in the right ear (ρ = 0.624, P = .002), and between self-reported symptoms of hyperacusis and TEOAE suppression test results in the right ear (ρ = -0.597 P = .003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no significant correlation between the two tests. A strong correlation was observed between right ear speech in babble and patient-reported intelligibility of speech in noise, and right ear TEOAE suppression by contralateral noise and hyperacusis questionnaire.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuro-otology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, United Kingdom. chrysa.spyridakou@nhs.net
authors.forename: Chrysa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spyridakou
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Luxon
authors.forename: Doris E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Bamiou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D012001:Hyperacusis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D057566:Self Report; D013060:Speech; D055815:Young Adult