Pure-tone audiometry without bone-conduction thresholds: using the digits-in-noise test to detect conductive hearing loss

Abstract

Objective: COVID-19 has been prohibitive to traditional audiological services. No- or low-touch audiological assessment outside a sound-booth precludes test batteries including bone conduction audiometry. This study investigated whether conductive hearing loss (CHL) can be differentiated from sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) using pure-tone air conduction audiometry and a digits-in-noise (DIN) test.

Design: A retrospective sample was analysed using binomial logistic regressions, which determined the effects of pure tone thresholds or averages, speech recognition threshold (SRT), and age on the likelihood that participants had CHL or bilateral SNHL.

Study sample: Data of 158 adults with bilateral SNHL (n = 122; PTA_0.5–4 kHz > 25 dB HL bilaterally) or CHL (n = 36; air conduction PTA_{0.5–4 kHz} > 25 dB HL and ≥20 dB air bone gap in the affected ears) were included.

Results: The model which best discriminated between CHL and bilateral SNHL used low-frequency pure-tone average (PTA), diotic DIN SRT, and age with an area under the ROC curve of 0.98 and sensitivity and specificity of 97.2 and 93.4%, respectively.

Conclusion: CHL can be accurately distinguished from SNHL using pure-tone air conduction audiometry and a diotic DIN. Restrictions on traditional audiological assessment due to COVID-19 require lower touch audiological care which reduces infection risk.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• coronavirus
• audiometry
• digits-in-noise
• speech-in-noise
• speech recognition threshold

Disclosure statement

DWS, DRM, and HCM have a relationship with the hearX Group which includes equity, consulting, and potential royalties. This research may contribute to hearX Group products.

DRM is supported by Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation and by the National Institute for Health Research, Manchester Biomedical Research Centre.

This research was funded by the National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number [5R21DC016241-02].