gms | German Medical Science

80th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

20.05. - 24.05.2009, Rostock

Clinical application of new audiometrical test procedures

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author Sabine Haumann - Medical University of Hannover, Dept. of Otolaryngology, Hannover, Germany
  • Andreas Büchner - Medical University of Hannover, Dept. of Otolaryngology, Hannover, Germany
  • Anke Lesinski-Schiedat - Medical University of Hannover, Dept. of Otolaryngology, Hannover, Germany
  • Thomas Brand - Carl-von-Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Dept. of Medical Physics, Oldenburg, Germany
  • Ralf M. Meyer - Carl-von-Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Dept. of Medical Physics, Oldenburg, Germany
  • Thomas Lenarz - Medical University of Hannover, Dept. of Otolaryngology, Hannover, Germany

German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. 80th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. Rostock, 20.-24.05.2009. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2009. Doc09hno079

doi: 10.3205/09hno079, urn:nbn:de:0183-09hno0795

Published: July 22, 2009

© 2009 Haumann et al.
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Outline

Text

Background: The audiometrical test procedures applied in the clinical practice are based on developments from more than 40 years ago and require revisions. New tests are being developed and applied sporadically, but are not established broadly in the clinical routine.

Method: In this study two new test procedures were applied to adult subjects and compared to the established audiometric tests. Depending on the type of hearing loss several groups of subjects were formed. The new investigated tests were Göttingen Sentence Test with unmodulated and modulated noise and Categorical Loudness Scaling. The results of the new tests were compared to the Freiburg Monosyllables, Langenbeck and SISI test. The subjective hearing loss was assessed by questionnaires. At the end of this ongoing study norm values will be determined.

Results: Up to now 92 data sets were collected. The group average for the speech reception threshold in the Goettingen Sentence Test presented in unmodulated noise was at 1.7 dB and at 1.0 dB in modulated noise. As confirmed by the SISI and Langenbeck tests the Categorical Loudness Scaling showed recruitment for all inner ear hearing losses.

Conclusions: The Results of the Göttingen Sentence Test show similar tendencies as the results of Freiburg Speech Test with slightly smaller standard deviation. Furthermore, speech tests in noise should gain more relevance for clinical diagnostics, as they represent everyday life situations better than tests in quiet. Concerning the Above-threshold measurements, the Categorical Loudness Scaling shows a good correlation to Langenbeck test and further clinical routine diagnostics, whereas SISI shows a worse reliability. One virtue of the Categorical Loudness Scaling is the universal application area.