Response Patterns and Pseudohypoacusis in Subjects with Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Heo, Seung-Deok; Koo, Tae-Woo; Ahn, Soo-Yong; Jeong, Sung-Wook; Ye, Byeong-Jin; Choi, Ah-Hyun; Kang, Myung-Koo

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Commun Sci Disord. 2008;13(1): 122-133.

Seung-Deok Heo^` , Tae-Woo Koo^` , Soo-Yong Ahn^` , Sung-Wook Jeong^` , Byeong-Jin Ye^` , Ah-Hyun Choi^` , and Myung-Koo Kang^`

ABSTRACT

Background & Objectives
For the purpose of socioeconomic reason, malingering deafness is increased. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of malingering deafness in subjects with noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), and to find out the usefulness of repeated ascending & descending pure tone audiometry (PTA) to detect malingering deafness.
Methods
From June 2005 to December 2006, medical records of 70 workers who received audiological evaluation by request of Korea Labor Welfare Corporation (KLWC) were reviewed.
Results
The consistency of pattern of audiogram was 3.7% in the malingery group (MG) and 85% in the control group (CG). The mean hearing threshold levels (HTLs) at the ascending method in 500 ㎐, 1, 2, 4 ㎑ were 53.9, 59.9, 69.8, 82.2 ㏈ HL in MG, respectively, and were 27.3, 36.5, 54.1, 70.8 ㏈ HL in CG, respectively. The ranges of responded threshold at the ascend method in 500 ㎐, 1, 2 ㎑ were 29.5, 26.3, 21.9 ㏈ in MG, respectively, and were 4.8, 3.3, 3.3 ㏈ in CG, respectively. The gaps between the best and the worst HTLs in 500 ㎐, 1, 2 ㎑ were 34.9, 32.0, 27.0 ㏈ in MG, and were 5.8, 5.0, 4.3 ㏈ in CG(p=0.000). The gaps between the best 2 pure tone averages and descending speech reception threshold were 28㏈ HL in MG and 6.9㏈ HL in CG(p=0.000).
Discussion & Conclusion
The ratio of malingering deafness was 85.7%. Repeated ascending & descending PTA are a useful audiological tool for detection of malingering deafness