High-frequency thresholds: sound suite versus hospital room

Benefits of high-frequency audiometry in monitoring hearing sensitivity of patients administered ototoxic medications are well established. Thresholds obtained within a sound suite have been proven reliable. It may, however, often be necessary for the audiologist to evaluate the patient at bedside. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if significant differences are present between high-frequency thresholds measured in a sound suite versus thresholds measured in a hospital room. In addition, the test-retest reliability of high-frequency thresholds was determined when measured in a hospital room. For 25 normal hearing subjects, results revealed that significant differences were not observed between thresholds measured in a sound suite versus those measured in a typical hospital room. In addition, differences between the initial and repeated thresholds obtained in the hospital room were not significant, and the differences were, for the most part, within +/- 10 dB at all test frequencies.