Audiology

studying the speech recognition scores of hearing impaied children by using nonesense syllables

Vahid Shieh Zadeh

Background: The current article is aimed at evaluating speech recognition scores in hearing aid wearers to determine whether nonsense syllables are suitable speech materials to evaluate the effectiveness of their hearing aids.
Method: Subjects were 60 children (15 males and 15 females) with bilateral moderate and moderately severe sensorineural hearing impairment who were aged between 7.7-14 years old. Gain prescription was fitted by NAL method. Then speech evaluation was performed in a quiet place with and without hearing aid by using a list of 25 monosyllable words recorded on a tape. A list was prepared for the subjects to check in the correct response. The same method was used to obtain results for normal subjects.
Results: The results revealed that the subjects using hearing aids achieved significantly higher SRS in comparison of not wearing it. Although the speech recognition ability was not compensated completely (the maximum score obtained was 60%) it was also revealed that the syllable recognition ability in the less amplified frequencies were decreased. the SRS was very higher in normal subjects (with an average of 88%).
Conclusion: It seems that Speech recognition score can prepare Audiologist with a more comprehensive method to evaluate the hearing aid benefits.

low frequency fluctuated hearing loss in a case with vestibular schwannomas

Mahin Sedaei

A 34-year-old female with a history of a sudden mild left-sided hearing loss and high-pitched tinnitus along with fullness in the same ear was referred to the audiology clinic. Hearing fluctuation and variability in other symptoms were also reported. Although no complain of any vertigo or balance disorder was mentioned, light headedness was implied. Differential diagnosis of endolymphatic Fistula and retro cochlear lesion was demanded. Audiologic and radiologic findings of this patient are presented in the article to discuss findings regarding the diagnosis of the suspected disorder.

Studying the prevalence rate of hearing loss in children of primary schools in Bebehan during the year between 1996 and1997

Mahnaz Niaparast

Objectives: The current study was performed to establish the prevalence rate of hearing disorders in school age children.
Method: This study has been performed in a randomized manner among 1000 school-age children (500 girls and 500 boys) in the years between1976-1997 in Behbehan. All subjects underwent Audiometric evaluations, Otoscopy, and impedance audiometry. Additionally, parents, children and teachers were interviewed or asked by questionnaires regarding the familial status of parents, familial history of any hearing loss and the awareness of suffering hearing loss. The findings have been prepared in the charts and tables and the relationship between age and gender of the subjects with the incidence of hearing loss has been evaluated via the statistical test X² and hearing loss in left and right ear was compared by T-test.
Results: the findings demonstrated that 6.6% of the subjects suffered hearing loss in one ear (2.2%) or both ears (4.3%). 4.8% of the patients suffered conductive hearing loss while 1.6% suffered sensory-neural hearing loss. In .2% patients complained different types of hearing loss in the ears. Hearing loss was mostly slight and the relationship between age and gender with the incidence of hearing loss was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: Based on the findings we have concluded that in18.4% of the subjects, medical treatment was required and 0.7% of them were in need of rehabilitation. The percentage of the awareness of the hearing disorders among children, parents and teachers was 21.2%, 22.7% and 15.2% respectively.

Evaluation of the speech test via Bone Conduction in normal subjects aged between 18-25 years old

Marjan Sabri Leghayi

Background and objectives: This article is aimed at: 1.studying the relationship between Bone conduction pure tone thresholds and speech reception thresholds via bone conduction in normal patients 2.studying the stability and repeatability of the speech reception thresholds via bone conduction and 3. Comparing the characteristics of the function of the speech gain via bone conduction with that of air conduction.
Method: 60 normal hearing subjects (30 males and 30 females) were evaluated by air conduction pure tone audiometry, bone conduction pure tone audiometry and speech reception thresholds.
Results: Findings for the mentioned tests in all subjects were statistically insignificant. The results are prepared in tables and charts.
Conclusion: Pure tone thresholds and speech reception thresholds acquired by means of air conduction testing and bone conduction testing and the stability and repeatability were similar in both evaluations.

Audiometric changes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery

Daryoush Beigi

The incidence of severe hearing loss after coronary artery bypass graft surgery has been as rare as 1/1000 surgery (Plasse et al., 1981). To evaluate possible changes in the auditory status, audiograms were taken before and after this operation. Our objectives were to: 1) evaluate hearing losses that were not necessarily severe and 2) examine the factors associated with any auditory insult. we selected patients among a group without any history of hearing problems and the intake of any ototoxic drugs. All patients underwent careful examination and hearing evaluation the day prior to surgery. 6 days after surgery they were examined again and asked about any hearing problems or experience of tinnitus. Various operative details were taken and the post-operative drug record examined. Patients who were too ill for retesting, or who had been given sedative or ototoxic drugs or opiate analgesia, were dropped from the study. The whole procedure was repeated on a control group of 20 patients who were having thorocotomy but without being placed on a cardiopulmonary bypass. From the bypass sample of 40 ears, five of them (four individuals) had an individually statistically significant high-frequency hearing loss. The results showed a statistically significant difference between the bypass group and the control group, with the bypass patients having worse threshold shifts following the operation.Discriminant analyses have shown that those patients suffering hearing impairment may be discriminated principally with four variables: the patient's age, minimum temperature and minimum blood pressure during the operation, and the time on bypass.

Studying the difference in the effect of noise and pure tone on the residual inhibition in patients suffering tinnitus

Masoumeh Rouzbehani

Objectives: we were aimed at studying the difference in the effect of noise and pure tone on the residual inhibition in patients suffering tinnitus.
Method: patients were selected among whom referred to audiology clinic in Ran faculty of rehabilitation sciences and aged between 20-70 years old. Our method in studying patients was experimental- masking with pure tone was performed in patients who had experienced partial residual inhibition with noise.
Results the differences between the masking methods was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: it seems that no significant differences exist between the two mentioned methods in masking tinnitus.