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Hearing Disability (hearing + disability)

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Medical Sciences100%

Selected Abstracts

Spatial Hearing Disability After Acoustic Neuroma Removal

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 9 2007
Susan A. Douglas FRCS (ORL-HNS)
Abstract Objectives/Hypothesis: Previous studies on hearing loss (HL) after acoustic neuroma removal concentrate mainly on pure-tone hearing results rather than hearing disability. Our objectives were to use the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing scale (SSQ), a comprehensively validated questionnaire, to characterize and quantify the auditory disabilities that patients experience with a profound unilateral HL after acoustic neuroma removal. Study Design: Forty-four patients with profound unilateral HL after acoustic neuroma surgery completed the SSQ. Their findings were compared with those of a control population sample matched for age, sex, and hearing level in the better hearing ear. Results: In comparison with controls, with use of analysis of variance, acoustic neuroma patients scored poorly on all items except for the identification of sounds and objects (P = .123). The greatest difficulties involved speech in the presence of noise, situations of multiple speech-streams and switching (such as listening to someone speaking and the television at the same time), the location of unseen objects, and increased listening effort (P < .05). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that, compared with a control population, these patients experience a significant range of auditory disabilities. It is important that clinicians be aware of the impact of such a profound unilateral HL and its potential to affect daily life. Patient counseling prior to surgery is essential, especially in patients whose loss of binaural hearing could constitute a major disability. [source]

Deafness Due to A1555G Mitochondrial Mutation Without Use of Aminoglycoside,

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 6 2004
Tatsuo Matsunaga MD
Abstract Objectives/Hypothesis: The objective was to clarify the characteristics of deafness associated with the A1555G mutation within mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA gene in the absence of aminoglycoside exposure. Study Design: Clinical and genetic studies in family members with the A1555G mitochondrial mutation were performed. Methods: The subjects were 123 maternally related members of a large Japanese family with the A1555G mutation. All subjects had no previous history of exposure to aminoglycosides. Hearing disability and handicap, tinnitus, and medical histories were analyzed by interviews in all of the subjects, genetic testing was performed in 41 subjects, and pure-tone audiometry was conducted in 26 subjects with hearing disability and handicap. Results: The A1555G mutation was detected in a homoplasmic form (meaning that all the mitochondrial DNA carries the mutation) in all 41 subjects who were screened. The risk for developing postlingual hearing loss was likely to be much higher in the present subjects than in the general population. Both the severity and age at onset of the phenotype were similar in affected subjects within the same sibling group. Pure-tone averages were significantly worse in subjects who developed hearing loss before age 10 years than in those who developed hearing loss later. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that the prevalence of deafness in individuals with the A1555G mitochondrial mutation was likely to be high even in the absence of aminoglycoside exposure and clearly showed the association of severe to profound hearing loss with the onset of hearing loss before age 10 years. [source]

Spatial Hearing Disability After Acoustic Neuroma Removal

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 9 2007
Susan A. Douglas FRCS (ORL-HNS)
Abstract Objectives/Hypothesis: Previous studies on hearing loss (HL) after acoustic neuroma removal concentrate mainly on pure-tone hearing results rather than hearing disability. Our objectives were to use the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing scale (SSQ), a comprehensively validated questionnaire, to characterize and quantify the auditory disabilities that patients experience with a profound unilateral HL after acoustic neuroma removal. Study Design: Forty-four patients with profound unilateral HL after acoustic neuroma surgery completed the SSQ. Their findings were compared with those of a control population sample matched for age, sex, and hearing level in the better hearing ear. Results: In comparison with controls, with use of analysis of variance, acoustic neuroma patients scored poorly on all items except for the identification of sounds and objects (P = .123). The greatest difficulties involved speech in the presence of noise, situations of multiple speech-streams and switching (such as listening to someone speaking and the television at the same time), the location of unseen objects, and increased listening effort (P < .05). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that, compared with a control population, these patients experience a significant range of auditory disabilities. It is important that clinicians be aware of the impact of such a profound unilateral HL and its potential to affect daily life. Patient counseling prior to surgery is essential, especially in patients whose loss of binaural hearing could constitute a major disability. [source]

Deafness Due to A1555G Mitochondrial Mutation Without Use of Aminoglycoside,

THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 6 2004
Tatsuo Matsunaga MD
Abstract Objectives/Hypothesis: The objective was to clarify the characteristics of deafness associated with the A1555G mutation within mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA gene in the absence of aminoglycoside exposure. Study Design: Clinical and genetic studies in family members with the A1555G mitochondrial mutation were performed. Methods: The subjects were 123 maternally related members of a large Japanese family with the A1555G mutation. All subjects had no previous history of exposure to aminoglycosides. Hearing disability and handicap, tinnitus, and medical histories were analyzed by interviews in all of the subjects, genetic testing was performed in 41 subjects, and pure-tone audiometry was conducted in 26 subjects with hearing disability and handicap. Results: The A1555G mutation was detected in a homoplasmic form (meaning that all the mitochondrial DNA carries the mutation) in all 41 subjects who were screened. The risk for developing postlingual hearing loss was likely to be much higher in the present subjects than in the general population. Both the severity and age at onset of the phenotype were similar in affected subjects within the same sibling group. Pure-tone averages were significantly worse in subjects who developed hearing loss before age 10 years than in those who developed hearing loss later. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that the prevalence of deafness in individuals with the A1555G mitochondrial mutation was likely to be high even in the absence of aminoglycoside exposure and clearly showed the association of severe to profound hearing loss with the onset of hearing loss before age 10 years. [source]

Growth, neurological and cognitive development in infants with a birthweight <501 g at age 5 years

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 9 2010
E Rieger-Fackeldey
Abstract Aim:, To determine growth, neurological and cognitive development at 5 years of preterm infants with birthweights <501 g born in three German tertiary perinatal centres between 1998 and 2001. Methods:, Structured neurological examination, the Gross Motor Function Classification Scale and the Kaufman-Assessment-Battery Test for Children. Results:, Of 107 infants, 48 received immediate life support (gestational age 25.2 weeks [21,30.7]; birth weight 435 g [290,500]) median [range]), 27 (56%) survived until follow-up [95% CI 39,69%], 19 (70%) could be tested. In few infants had catch-up growth taken place. Neurological test results were normal in five infants (26%) and mildly abnormal/severely abnormal in 11 (58%)/3 (16%) infants. Visual impairment was present in eight (42%), and hearing disability in three (16%). The mean mental processing composite (IQ) was 82 [50,104] (median [range]). Conclusion:, Of all resuscitated infants with a birthweight <501 g, 56% survived to school age. Of these, composite outcome score showed normal development or mild disability in one-half, and moderate or severe disability in the other half of them. Investigators should include such infants in studies and their reports should give specific information about them. [source]

Hearing aid fitting in adults: results of a cost-effectiveness study

CLINICAL OTOLARYNGOLOGY, Issue 4 2000
L.J.C. Anteunis For The Sihi Study Group
Objective. Despite its high prevalence (, 20% in adults) and the adverse impact on daily life, hearing impairment is a neglected problem. Despite the fact that <,25% of the hearing-impaired seek help and acquire hearing aids in the Netherlands, hearing aid provision and rules for reimbursment are questioned. This is the reason for a cost-effectiveness study. Materials and methods. Self-reported hearing disability and its impact on quality of life was studied in 60 first-time-users, followed prospectively for 16 weeks after hearing aid fitting. They reported significant benefits in hearing ability, experienced an increased number and quality of social contacts and improved self-assessed personal health. Integrating the positive and negative effects of the intervention in a gain in quality of life, a utility value was obtained. Multiplying this utility value by the number of years the effect is expected to last, yielded Quality Adjusted Life Years. Results. In an economic evaluation, based on a model of tracing and referral and costs per QALY, hearing aid fitting in hearing-impaired adults was compared to the effectiveness of other health care interventions and, as a result, placed near the top of a QALY league table. Conclusions. Hearing aid fitting is a very cost-effective intervention. [source]