High-frequency auditory thresholds in normal hearing adults

• Published in: CoDAS (São Paulo) 2018-07, Vol.30 (4), p.e20170165-e20170165
• Main Authors: Oppitz, Sheila Jacques, Silva, Luize Caroline Lima da, Garcia, Michele Vargas, Silveira, Aron Ferreira da
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; por
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Auditory Threshold - physiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Evoked Potentials, Auditory - physiology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Reference Values; Young Adult
• ISSN: 2317-1782
• DOI: 10.1590/2317-1782/20182017165

Evaluate high-frequency auditory thresholds, seeking to compare responses between the ears, to verify the correlation between hearing level and aging and analyze frequency responses in normal hearing adults. This is a prospective, quantitative, transversal study conducted with a convenience sample. Study participants were 60 individuals aged 18 to 58 years (mean=25.82) with auditory thresholds within normality standards (250-8000 Hz) and normal results in acoustic immittance measurements. High-frequency pure-tone hearing thresholds were determined using an Interacoustics AS10HF audiometer with electrodynamic high-fidelity KOSS R/80 headphones, with thresholds expressed in dBNPS. Hearing thresholds showed an increase for the right ear with statistical significance at the 10, 11 and 14 kHz frequencies and a tendency to significance at 13 kHz. As of the 14 kHz frequency, a progressive increase directly proportional to the frequency was observed bilaterally, with the thresholds increasing proportionally to age advancement for all frequencies. High-frequency auditory thresholds progressively increase proportionally to frequency and age advancement in normal hearing individuals, with higher values ​​for the right ear.