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Quantitative criteria for age-related hearing loss using audiometric configuration analysis

  • Otology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

To suggest the most adaptable criteria of age-related hearing loss (ARHL) using prevalence matching with population-based data.

Methods

We chose 30, 25, 20, and 15 dB as gap ranges of cutoff values of the descending type of hearing loss, between an average of low (500 Hz, 1 kHz) and high (4 kHz, 6 kHz) frequencies. Interaural difference was defined as 10 or 15 dB. Hearing loss was defined over 25 dB. We compared the prevalence results of the cross-matching criteria. We used population-based data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We assumed that the prevalence of ARHL ranged from 25 to 35%, and this prevalence will increase gradually with age.

Results

Among the eight possible criteria, age ≥ 65 years, average of all frequencies > 25 dB at the each sides, gap between low- and high frequencies ≥ 20 dB, and interaural difference ≤ 10 dB were the most suitable criteria to suggest a quantitative definition of ARHL audiometrically.

Conclusion

In the current study, we recommend the new, quantitative ARHL criteria. The suggested criteria for ARHL might be easily accessed by other researchers to demonstrate their own hypotheses.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (NRF-2016R1D1A1B01014128), Republic of Korea

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Author notes

  1. Jun Ho Lee and Junghwa Bahng contributed equally as first authors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Chucheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, 77, Sakju-ro, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, 200-704, Republic of Korea

    Jun Ho Lee

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Jun Ho Lee

  3. Institute of New Frontier Research, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea

    Jun Ho Lee

  4. Department of Audiology, Hallym University of Graduate Studies, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Junghwa Bahng

  5. Department of Neurology, Chucheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, 77, Sakju-ro, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, 200-704, Republic of Korea

    Chulho Kim

  6. Department of Medical Genetics, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea

    Yoo Yeon Kim

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  1. Jun Ho Lee
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Correspondence to Jun Ho Lee or Chulho Kim.

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Lee, J.H., Bahng, J., Kim, C. et al. Quantitative criteria for age-related hearing loss using audiometric configuration analysis. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 277, 93–102 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-019-05689-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-019-05689-x

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