Evaluation of Exaggerated Hearing Loss Using Objective Audiometry

Heo, Seung-Deok; Lee, Jae-Myeong; Park, Ji-Sang; Choi, Ah-Hyun; Kang, Myung-Koo

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Commun Sci Disord. 2008;13(3): 513-523.

Seung-Deok Heo^` , Jae-Myeong Lee^` , Ji-Sang Park^` , Ah-Hyun Choi^` , and Myung-Koo Kang^`

허승덕(Seung-Deok Heo)| 이재명(Jae-Myeong Lee)| 박지상(Ji-Sang Park)| 최아현(Ah-Hyun Choi)| 강명구(Myung-Koo Kang)

ABSTRACT

Background & Objectives
This study was performed to investigate the rate of malingering deafness and to predict the degree of exaggerated-hearing loss using pattern of response of pure tone audiometry(PTA), speech audiometry(SA) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) in subjects with a purpose of socioeconomic benefit.
Methods
We reviewed the medical records of 54 subjects. The subjects were divided into the malingering group and the control group in accordance with pattern of response. These results were analyzed statistically.
Results
The responded-thresholds of ascending and descending methods in 1 kHz between the malingering group and the control group were significantly different. The differences between 2 PTAs(pure tone averages between 0.5 and 1kHz) and SRT(speech reception threshold) (P < .001), ABR threshold and high 3 PTAs(pure tone averages between 0.5, 1 and 2kHz) (P = .002), ABR threshold and SRT (P < .001) were statistically significant.
Discussion & Conclusion
It was concluded that the rate of malingering deafness was 84.48%, and the degree of exaggerated-hearing loss was 34.48dB respondedthreshold of ascending method.