Electric response audiometry and compensational noise-induced hearing loss

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Neuroscience
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Compensation claims for occupational noise-induced hearing loss are increasing.
• A significant percentage of patients (20-25%) may feign hearing loss, complicating accurate diagnosis.
• There is a need for reliable methods to quantify true hearing thresholds in malingering individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the utility of Electric Response Audiometry (ERA) in identifying feigned hearing loss.
• To evaluate a specific ERA test protocol for determining valid hearing thresholds in malingerers.
• To present the authors' experience with ERA in a cohort of individuals suspected of malingering.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Amplaid MK 10 system for Electric Response Audiometry (ERA).
• Tested a series of 56 individuals with suspected feigned hearing loss.
• Employed a test protocol including click-evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABR) and 40 Hz logon-evoked middle latency responses (MLR).

Main Results:

• Electric Response Audiometry (ERA) demonstrated potential in assessing hearing thresholds in malingerers.
• The proposed test protocol, incorporating ABR and MLR, showed promise for frequency-specific threshold determination.
• Experience with 56 malingerers suggests ERA is a viable tool in this context.

Conclusions:

• ERA, particularly with ABR and MLR, is a promising method for objectively determining hearing thresholds.
• This approach can help differentiate true hearing loss from feigned hearing loss in compensation claims.
• Accurate threshold determination is crucial for fair compensation in occupational hearing loss cases.