Long-term measurements using home audiometry with Békésy's technique
K Jonas Brännström1, Jan Grenner1,2
1a Department of Clinical Science , Lund University , Lund , Sweden and.
Objective:
To examine the efficacy of fixed-frequency Békésy's home audiometry to assess hearing fluctuation and treatment outcomes in patients with subjectively fluctuating hearing loss.
Design:
SMAPH, a software audiometry program for Windows, was installed and calibrated on laptop computers. Békésy's audiometry was carried out daily in the patients' homes, using sound-attenuating earphones.
Study Sample:
Seventeen patients with previously or currently subjectively fluctuating hearing loss. Five patients received of treatment for their conditions during the measurement period.
Results:
Measurement periods ranged from 6 to 60 days. Varying degrees of compliance were seen, some patients measuring less than 50% of the days, others measuring every day. Based on their long-term measurements the patients were classified into three groups: patients with stable recordings, with fluctuating low-frequency hearing loss, or with fluctuating high-frequency hearing loss. In the patients with stable recordings, significant test-retest differences were seen below 10 dB at frequencies 0.125-8 kHz.
Conclusions:
Home audiometry with Békésy's technique can be used to evaluate disease activity and to monitor hearing results after therapy.
