Hearing threshold measurement in Menière's disease

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Otolaryngology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Menière's disease is a disorder of the inner ear.
• Accurate hearing threshold measurement is crucial for managing Menière's disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the reliability of Békésy audiometry for hearing threshold determination in Menière's disease.
• To identify factors influencing hearing threshold variability.

Main Methods:

• Békésy audiometry was performed four times on 21 subjects with unilateral Menière's disease at fixed frequencies (250-2000 Hz).
• Hearing thresholds were compared between affected and unaffected ears.
• The impact of middle ear pressure variations on threshold reliability was examined.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in hearing thresholds were found between the Menière ear and the unaffected ear.
• A notable increase in standard deviation of hearing thresholds occurred when middle ear pressure varied by more than +/- 50 mm H2O.
• A 7-dB change in hearing thresholds, as measured by Békésy audiometry, indicates a significant change in hearing for Menière's disease patients.

Conclusions:

• Békésy audiometry demonstrates reliability in assessing hearing thresholds in Menière's disease.
• Maintaining stable middle ear pressure is important for accurate audiometric testing.
• A 7-dB threshold shift is a clinically significant indicator of hearing change in Menière's disease.