A 3 years retrospective observational study of pure tone audiometry in a tertiary railway hospital

Authors

  • Preetham A. Puthukudy Department of Otolaryngology, Southern Railway Headquarters Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Musarrat Feshan Department of Otolaryngology, Southern Railway Headquarters Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Sowmya Karuthedath Department of Otolaryngology, Southern Railway Headquarters Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2454-5929.ijohns20220802

Keywords:

Pure tone audiometry, Air bone gap, Hearing loss, Presbycusis, Carhart notch, Noise-induced hearing loss, Sensorineural hearing loss, Mixed hearing loss, Conductive hearing loss

Abstract

Background: Pure tone audiometry (PTA) is the basic test to identify the type and severity of a hearing loss.

Methods: Retrospective “record-based” analysis was done on the PTA reports over 03 years from May 2018 to April 2021 and 1420 PTA were analyzed. The tests were done using Arphi digital audiometer 2001 and Proton Dx-5 audiometers.  

Results: 905 (63.73%) were males and 515 (36.27%) were females. Till 50 years of age, mixed hearing loss (MHL) was the commonest type of hearing loss followed by sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Overall SNHL was the most common type of hearing loss followed by MHL, while conductive hearing loss (CHL) was the least common. Moderate hearing loss was the most common finding seen in 27.6% of patients in the right ear and in 25.1% of the left ears. This was followed by mild, moderately severe, severe and profound hearing loss in both the ears. The age group with the maximum number of patients was in the 7th decade with 444 (31.27%). The prevalence of presbycusis was 70.60% above 60 years of age.

Conclusions: PTA is a basic investigation to detect the type and severity of hearing loss. The prevalence of hearing loss increases with age and early detection is advisable for early rehabilitation which can delay the onset of dementia.

Author Biographies

Preetham A. Puthukudy, Department of Otolaryngology, Southern Railway Headquarters Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Otolaryngology, Additional Chief Health Director

Musarrat Feshan, Department of Otolaryngology, Southern Railway Headquarters Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Otolaryngology, Additional Chief Health Director

Sowmya Karuthedath, Department of Otolaryngology, Southern Railway Headquarters Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Otolaryngology, Audiologist and Speech Therapist

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Published

2022-03-24

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Original Research Articles