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Updated: Jul 5, 2025

Neuro-rehabilitation Approach for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Published on: January 25, 2016
Tone Decay Reconsidered: Preliminary Results of a Prospective Study in Hearing-Aid Users with Moderate to Severe
Florian Herrmann Schmidt1, Thomas Hocke2, Lichun Zhang1
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, 'Otto Körner', Rostock University Medical Center, Doberaner Strasse 137-139, 18057 Rostock, Germany.
Abstract:
Among hearing aid (HA) users, there is a considerable variability in word recognition scores (WRSs). This variability is most pronounced among individuals with moderately severe to severe hearing loss. The variability cannot be adequately explained by factors such as pure-tone audiogram, audiogram type or age. This prospective study was designed to investigate the relationship between tone decay (TD) and WRS in a group of HA users with corresponding pure-tone hearing loss. The study population included 22 patients with hearing loss between 50 and 80 dB HL. Aided WRS, unaided WRS and TD were assessed for both ears. TD was found to be frequency-dependent. TD and WRS were correlated, with up to R = -0.66. The TD test was revealed to be a feasible method for explaining variability in WRS among HA users with hearing loss below 80 dB. This may contribute to improved differential diagnostics. The TD test may thus offer a better understanding of the limitations of HA use in the context of cochlear implant candidacy assessment for HA users.
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