title: [The age effect in evaluation of hearing aid benefits by speech audiometry].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities in the elderly. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between pure-tone hearing loss and maximum monosyllabic perception and speech perception with hearing aids. The focus of the investigation was elderly patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective study, 188 patients with sensorineural hearing loss were included. The pure-tone audiogram (4FPTA), the Freiburg speech intelligibility test with headphones and the word recognition score with hearing aids at 65 dB SPL were measured and evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An increasing age was associated with higher discrepancy between the maximum speech perception and speech understanding with hearing aids. The mean difference between maximum monosyllabic perception and speech perception with hearing aids is about 20% in the elderly population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intended goal of hearing aid prescription, the match between maximum monosyllabic perception and word recognition score with hearing aids within 5 to 10%, is not achieved in the elderly population.
authors.affiliation: Hörzentrum Berlin (HZB), Hals-Nasen-Ohrenklinik, Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain, Landsberger Allee 49, 10249, Berlin, Deutschland. alexander.mueller@vivantes.de.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Cochlear Deutschland GmbH & Co KG, Hannover, Deutschland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hocke
authors.affiliation: Audiologische Abteilung, Hals-Nasen-Ohrenklinik, Kopf- und Halschirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hoppe
authors.affiliation: Hörzentrum Berlin (HZB), Hals-Nasen-Ohrenklinik, Vivantes Klinikum im Friedrichshain, Landsberger Allee 49, 10249, Berlin, Deutschland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mir-Salim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001302:Audiometry, Speech / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Elderly; Hearing Aids; Pure-Tone audiogram; Speech Audiometry; Speech Intelligibility