scholarly journals The Immediate and Long-Term Impact of Military Aircraft Noise on Hearing: A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Fighter Pilots and Ground Staff

Author(s):  
Chao-Yin Kuo ◽  
Chia-Lien Hung ◽  
Hsin-Chien Chen ◽  
Cheng-Ping Shih ◽  
Rou-Huei Lu ◽  
...  

We examined the immediate and long-term impacts of military aircraft noise exposure on noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in fighter pilots and ground staff. We recruited 40 pilots, 40 ground staff, and 136 age-matched controls; all participants underwent hearing tests, including conventional pure-tone audiometry (PTA) (0.25–8.0 kHz), extended high-frequency (EHF) audiometry (9.0–18.0 kHz), and distortion-product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) as a recent reference. A subsequent hearing test immediately after flight-mission noise exposure was requested. The results revealed higher recent hearing thresholds in pilots and ground staff than in controls. Threshold shifts at many octave band frequencies were also significantly elevated in ground staff. The grouped frequency threshold was significantly elevated in the 4–8 kHz high-frequency range. After a single flight-mission noise exposure, both ground staff and pilots showed decreased signal-to-noise ratios for DPOAE (1–8 kHz), whereas only ground staff showed significantly elevated left-ear hearing thresholds at 3, 11.2, and 12.5 kHz by conventional and EHF PTA. Fighter pilots and ground staff serve in hazardous noise-exposed environments that cause hearing damage and subsequent NIHL, but ground staff may be more vulnerable. A comprehensive hearing conservation program should be implemented to protect high-risk service members, and especially ground staff, from high-intensity noise exposure.

Author(s):  
Citra Dwi Novastuti ◽  
Nyilo Purnami ◽  
Nugraenny Affianti

Background and Objectives The airport ground handling workers are most vulnerable to noise exposure from the sound of aircraft engines that are quite loud and, if exposed continuously, they may experience hearing loss. This study describes the profile of noise induced hearing loss in ground handling workers at Juanda Airport Surabaya.Subjects and Method The descriptive cross sectional approach is employed, and the noise level in the work environment is measured by airport apron, physical ear examination, distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) and pure tone audiometry, which were conducted for 89 ground handling workers at the airport.Results The age range that experienced hearing loss the most is 50-59 years (19.10%). The male: female ratio of subjects who experienced hearing loss was 50%:53.24%. The highest percentage of subjects with hearing loss was found in the Area II (export-import cargo) with 68%. Workers who experience hearing loss the most have been working for 17-21 years (76%). The ratio of hearing loss between continuous users of ear protectors and occasional or non-users of protectors was 22.47%:30.34%. Of the 89 total research subjects, 47 were found with hearing based on the DPOAE refer results; of these subjects, 30 (33.7%) experienced hearing loss due to noise (NIHL), 9 suffered in the right ear (10.11%), 9 in the left ear (10.11%) and 12 in both ears (13.48%).Conclusion Based on the DPOAE results, 52.81% of the ground handling workers at Juanda airport Surabaya were found with hearing loss; of these workers, 33.7% workers experienced NIHL with 10.11% observed in each ear and 13.48% in both ears.


2013 ◽  
Vol 127 (10) ◽  
pp. 952-956 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Goyal ◽  
P P Singh ◽  
A Vashishth

AbstractObjectives:This study aimed to: understand the effect that high intensity noise associated with drilling (during otological surgery) has on hearing in the contralateral ear; determine the nature of hearing loss, if any, by establishing whether it is temporary or persistent; and examine the association between hearing loss and various drill parameters.Methods:A prospective clinical study was carried out at a tertiary centre. Thirty patients with unilateral cholesteatoma and normal contralateral hearing were included. Patients were evaluated pre-operatively and for five days following surgery using high frequency pure tone audiometry, and low and high frequency transient evoked and distortion product otoacoustic emission testing.Results:The findings revealed statistically significant changes in distortion product otoacoustic emissions at high frequencies (p = 0.016), and in transient evoked otoacoustic emissions at both low and high frequencies (p = 0.035 and 0.021, respectively). There was a higher statistical association between otoacoustic emission changes and cutting burrs compared with diamond burrs.Conclusion:Drilling during mastoid surgery poses a threat to hearing in the contralateral ear due to noise and vibration conducted transcranially.


2015 ◽  
Vol 129 (12) ◽  
pp. 1174-1181 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Wooles ◽  
M Mulheran ◽  
P Bray ◽  
M Brewster ◽  
A R Banerjee

AbstractObjective:To examine whether distortion product otoacoustic emissions can serve as a replacement for pure tone audiometry in longitudinal screening for occupational noise exposure related auditory deficit.Methods:A retrospective review was conducted of pure tone audiometry and distortion product otoacoustic emission data obtained sequentially during mandatory screening of brickyard workers (n = 16). Individual pure tone audiometry thresholds were compared with distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitudes, and a correlation of these measurements was conducted.Results:Pure tone audiometry threshold elevation was identified in 13 out of 16 workers. When distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitudes were compared with pure tone audiometry thresholds at matched frequencies, no evidence of a robust relationship was apparent. Seven out of 16 workers had substantial distortion product otoacoustic emissions with elevated pure tone audiometry thresholds.Conclusion:No clinically relevant predictive relationship between distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitude and pure tone audiometry threshold was apparent. These results do not support the replacement of pure tone audiometry with distortion product otoacoustic emissions in screening. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions at frequencies associated with elevated pure tone audiometry thresholds are evidence of intact outer hair cell function, suggesting that sites distinct from these contribute to auditory deficit following ototrauma.


2009 ◽  
Vol 123 (10) ◽  
pp. 1090-1096 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Mei ◽  
Z-W Huang ◽  
Z-Z Tao

AbstractObjective:Hearing sensitivity usually diminishes with noise exposure. In the present study, we examined the effect of 93 dB(A) wide band noise on cochlear micromechanical sensitivity in awake guinea pigs.Methods:Animals were randomly assigned to groups receiving either single or repeated noise exposure. Distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitudes were recorded before, during and after noise exposure.Results:Ninety-three decibel(A) wide band noise reduced the distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitudes at all tested frequencies. The distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitudes for higher frequencies showed a permanent reduction, whereas those for lower frequencies showed a temporary reduction. Distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitudes for middle frequencies showed prolonged enhancement after repeated noise exposure.Conclusion:Our results suggest that (1) it is likely that there are intermediate stages between permanent threshold shift and temporary threshold shift, and (2) long-term enhancement of distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitudes may be an indication of tinnitus generation.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Hyo Geun Choi ◽  
Sung Kwang Hong ◽  
Hyo-Jeong Lee ◽  
Jiwon Chang

<b><i>Objectives:</i></b> The hearing process involves complex peripheral and central auditory pathways and could be influenced by various situations or medications. To date, there is very little known about the effects of alcohol on the auditory performances. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate how acute alcohol administration affects various aspects of hearing performance in human subjects, from the auditory perceptive threshold to the speech-in-noise task, which is cognitively demanding. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A total of 43 healthy volunteers were recruited, and each of the participants received calculated amounts of alcohol according to their body weight and sex with a targeted blood alcohol content level of 0.05% using the Widmark formula. Hearing was tested in alcohol-free conditions (no alcohol intake within the previous 24 h) and acute alcohol conditions. A test battery composed of pure-tone audiometry, speech reception threshold (SRT), word recognition score (WRS), distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), gaps-in-noise (GIN) test, and Korean matrix sentence test (testing speech perception in noise) was performed in the 2 conditions. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Acute alcohol intake elevated pure-tone hearing thresholds and SRT but did not affect WRS. Both otoacoustic emissions recorded with DPOAE and the temporal resolution measured with the GIN test were not influenced by alcohol intake. The hearing performance in a noisy environment in both easy (−2 dB signal-to-noise ratio [SNR]) and difficult (−8 dB SNR) conditions was decreased by alcohol. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Acute alcohol elevated auditory perceptive thresholds and affected performance in complex and difficult auditory tasks rather than simple tasks.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Sara Gaetán ◽  
Jimena Muratore ◽  
Ana Luz Maggi ◽  
Jorge Pérez Villalobo ◽  
María de los Ángeles Hinalaf

Purposes The aims of this study are (a) to characterize the hearing of adolescents from four schools of Córdoba, Argentina, through the analysis of conventional and extended high-frequency audiometric thresholds and otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) and (b) to analyze the association between the mentioned hearing tests and exposure to music. Method It was a cross-sectional correlational descriptive study. Hearing thresholds (250–16000 Hz), transient evoked OAEs, and distortion product OAEs were evaluated in 225 adolescents (450 ears) aged 14 and 15 years. The ears were split into two groups: Group 1 had thresholds ≤ 21 dB HL in all frequencies, and Group 2 had thresholds > 21 dB HL in at least one. Exposure to music was evaluated through a questionnaire. Results Statistically significant differences were found in both ears between Groups 1 and 2. A notch at 3000–6000 Hz was noted in both groups. Group 2 showed a progressive threshold increase from 9000 Hz. Amplitude decrease, negative values, absent distortion product OAEs, and transient evoked OAEs were noted even in Group 1. A statistically significant association between Groups 1 and 2 and the presence/absence of OAEs was observed in most frequencies. Ears with moderate or high exposure to music had greater hearing thresholds compared to ears with low exposure at most frequencies; this was more evident in Group 1. Regarding exposure to music and OAEs, no significant differences were found between the exposure categories. Conclusions The findings highlight the value of implementing hearing conservation programs in Argentina, analyzing hearing tests correlated with questionnaires about recreational noise exposure in order to detect vulnerable ears early.


2005 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sule Yilmaz ◽  
Ahmet Rifat Karasalihoglu ◽  
Abdullah Tas ◽  
Recep Yagiz ◽  
Memduha Tas

The aim of this study was to investigate otoacoustic emissions in young adults who had a history of otitis media (OM) in childhood and to assess whether a history of OM had an irreversible effect on hearing. We studied 116 cases between 15 and 25 years of age, divided into three groups. Each subject underwent a single examination comprising otoscopy, pure-tone audiometry (PTA), tympanometry, and transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) testing. Subjects in the first and second groups had normal audiometric hearing thresholds and type A tympanograms. The only difference between the first and second group was the presence or absence of a history of OM. The third group consisted of patients diagnosed as having active OM; these patients had poorer hearing thresholds and type B or C tympanograms. After statistical analysis of TEOAE and DPOAE results (one-way analysis of variance test), significant differences were noted between groups. Otoacoustic emission levels were, unsurprisingly, lowest in the third group, as expected. However, the most striking result in the study was that significantly fewer otoacoustic emissions were detected in subjects with a history of OM than in subjects without a history of OM. These findings suggest that OM in childhood may cause minor but irreversible damage to the middle ear or cochlea. Otoacoustic emissions testing can be used to detect this sub-clinical damage.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (06) ◽  
pp. 371-383
Author(s):  
Ishan Sunilkumar Bhatt

Abstract Background Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is often characterized by the presence of an audiometric notch at 3000-6000 Hz in a behavioral audiogram. The audiometric notch is widely used to investigate NIHL in children and young adults. However, the determinants of the audiometric notch in young adults largely remain unknown. Purpose The study aimed to investigate the determinants of the audiometric notch in young adults. Research Design A cross-sectional design was adopted for the study. Study Sample A sample of 124 adults (38 males and 86 females) aged 18-35 years with normal otoscopic and tympanometric findings was recruited. Data Collection and Analysis Hearing thresholds and real-ear sound pressure levels (RESPLs) were obtained with calibrated ER-3A (Etymotic Research, Elk Grove Village, IL) andTDH-50P receivers (Telephonics, Farmingdale, NY). Distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) were used to evaluate the cochlear function. The external auditory canal (EAC) length was measured using the acoustical method. Noise exposure background (NEB) was estimated using the Noise Exposure Questionnaire. The notched audiograms were identified using: Phillips, Coles, and Niskar criteria. Results The prevalence of notched audiograms was substantially higher for TDH-50P supra-aural receivers than for ER-3A insert receivers. RESPLs at 6000 and 8000 Hz were the major predictors of notched audiograms for TDH-50P receivers. These predictors explained around 45% of the variance in the notched audiograms. The notched audiograms obtained with TDH-50P receivers showed no association with NEB. Individuals with notched audiograms measured using TDH-50P did not show convincing evidence of cochlear dysfunction as assessed by DPOAEs. Individuals with notched audiograms obtained with TDH-50P receivers revealed an average of shorter EAC and a poorer hearing threshold at 6000 Hz. Conclusions The calibration error in the RESPLs at 6000 and 8000 Hz that are likely to be influenced by the shorter EAC was the major determinant of the notched audiograms when the supra-aural transducers were used to measure hearing thresholds. Therefore, the supra-aural receivers should not be used to estimate the prevalence of NIHL in children and young adults when the less restrictive notch identification criteria are used to identify NIHL. Real-ear calibration techniques that are least influenced by the standing waves in the EAC should be preferred when investigating the prevalence of and risk factors for NIHL in young adults.


Author(s):  
Małgorzata Pawlaczyk-Łuszczyńska ◽  
Małgorzata Zamojska-Daniszewska ◽  
Adam Dudarewicz ◽  
Kamil Zaborowski

The objective of this study was to assess the hearing of music students in relation to their exposure to excessive sounds. A standard pure-tone audiometry, transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) were determined in 163 students of music academies, aged 22.8 ± 2.6 years. A questionnaire survey and sound pressure level measurements during solo and group playing were also conducted. The control group comprised 67 subjects, mainly non-music students, aged 22.8 ± 3.3 years. Study subjects were exposed to sounds at the A-weighted weekly noise exposure level (LEX,w) from 75 to 106 dB. There were no significant differences in the hearing thresholds between groups in the frequency range of 4000–8000 Hz. However, music students compared to control group exhibited lower values of DPOAE amplitude (at 6000 and 7984 Hz) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) (at 984, 6000, and 7984 Hz) as well as SNR of TEOAE (in 1000 Hz band). A significant impact of noise exposure level, type of instrument, and gender on some parameters of measured otoacoustic emissions was observed. In particular, music students having LEX,w ≥ 84.9 dB, compared to those with LEX,w < 84.9 dB, achieved significantly lower DPOAE amplitude at 3984 Hz. Meanwhile, both TEOAE and DPOAE results indicated worse hearing in students playing percussion instruments vs. wind instruments, and wind instrument players vs. students playing stringed instruments.


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