Quantifying the bystander-effect of 2.5G mobile telephones on the speech perception of digital hearing aid users.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify the bystander-effect of 2.5G mobile telephones (2.5G-MTs) on the speech perception of digital hearing-aid (dHA) users. Differences in the susceptibility of behind-the-ear (BTE) compared to in-to-the-ear (ITE) dHAs were also assessed.


METHODS
Prospective-comparative study conducted at a tertiary referral centre (ENT Department) and a HA-fitting laboratory. Key-word recognition scores from open-sentence lists were calculated. Power-analysis determined that a minimum of 60 subjects with SNHL (30 in each group), using either BTE or ITE dHAs, were required for reliable study outcomes. Sixty-four adults were tested with a functioning 2.5G-MT at almost physical contact with their ear; thirty subjects used BTE and 34 ITE dHAs.


METHODS
Aided word recognition score differences between studied groups and within each group, while a 2.5G-MT was activated. Cut-off inclusion criterion regarding baseline aided word recognition score was 75%.


RESULTS
Baseline aided word recognition scores for ITE dHAs were better compared to BTE ones (p < 0.01). Following the 2.5G-MT activation, this difference disappeared. No statistically significant difference in word recognition was observed between the examined groups, or within the BTE group, from the bystander-effect of the 2.5G-MT. ITE dHAs proved more susceptible to electromagnetic interference (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The bystander-effect of 2.5G-MTs on the speech perception of dHA users is either minimal, or not significant. The observed compatibility has a positive impact on the lives of millions of people worldwide. The long-standing theory of more interference in BTE compared to ITE HAs is not confirmed by the results of the present study. EBM level of evidence: 2c.
ENT Department, Lister Hospital, UK. pevlast@hotmail.com
P V
PV
Vlastarakos
T P
TP
Nikolopoulos
L
L
Manolopoulos
A
A
Stamou
K K
KK
Halkiotis
E
E
Ferekidis
E
E
Georgiou
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D040421:Cell Phone; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*