gms | German Medical Science

Different pathologies may lead to different levels of hearing impairment in certain durations.Evaluation of the nature and extent of the hearing impairment is a crucial step in treatment of patients which is accomplished via different tests. In this study we have tried to compare the results of pure tone audiometry with results of distrotion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) in normal subjects, patients with meniere's and patients with noise induced hearing loss. Hearing thresholds of the Menier's group were significantly worse (higher) than the normal group at all frequencies (p<0.01 at all frequencies). Hearing thresholds of the NIHL group were significantly worse (higher) than the normal group at 1000 and higher frequencies (p<0.03 at all frequencies). Menier's group had significantly worse (higher) hearing thresholds than NIHL group at 2000 Hz and lower frequencies (p<0.03 at all frequencies). Menier's group subjects had significantly higher SRTs as compared to NIHL and normal groups (p < 0.001 for both comparisons). Speech discrimination scores were not different between the groups. Signficantly higher wave V absolute latency for NIHL group was revealed as compared to Menier's and normal groups (p=0.01 and p=0.002, respectively). No correlations could be proven between duration of disease (in Menier's group) or duration of exposure to noise (in NIHL group) and any of the hearing thresholds, DP, NF or DP-NF. Detailed discussion of results is provided in the article.