Calculated versus measured pure tone bone conduction 3 kHz thresholds in sudden sensorineural hearing loss

• Published in: Journal of laryngology and otology 2021-09, Vol.135 (9), p.820-824
• Main Authors: Shilo, S, Ziv-Baran, T, Oron, Y, Handzel, O, Cavel, O, Eta, R A, Muhanna, N, Ungar, O J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Conduction; Ear diseases; Hearing loss; Magnetic resonance imaging; Main Articles; Meniere's disease; Radiation therapy; Schwann cells; Surgery; Vestibular system
• ISSN: 0022-2151; 1748-5460
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022215121002024

ObjectiveTo compare the measured bone conduction threshold at 3 kHz with the calculated threshold in newly diagnosed sudden sensorineural hearing loss.MethodsA retrospective chart review was conducted of pure tone audiograms in confirmed sudden sensorineural hearing loss cases.ResultsOf 157 patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss, 144 had idiopathic hearing loss, 8 had vestibular schwannoma and 5 had Ménière's disease. The r value for the correlation between the two methods of 3 kHz assessment for all patients was 0.887 (p < 0.001). The mean difference between the measured and calculated 3 kHz thresholds was 0.76 ± 7.96 dB, 0.4 ± 8.08 dB and 1.5 ± 1.8 dB in the sudden sensorineural hearing loss, idiopathic and Ménière's disease groups, respectively. The mean difference between the measured and calculated 3 kHz thresholds was significantly greater in the vestibular schwannoma group (6.86 ± 4.38 dB) than in the idiopathic group (p = 0.013).ConclusionThe 3 kHz frequency may encompass important audiometric information. A discrepancy between the measured and calculated bone conduction 3 kHz thresholds raises suspicion of an underlying vestibular schwannoma as an aetiology for sudden sensorineural hearing loss, and these thresholds should therefore be measured independently and routinely.