Speech perception in noise in patients with idiopathic sudden hearing loss

Abstract

Background

Patients with unilateral hearing loss have difficulties perceiving speech in a noisy environment. Unilateral severe to profound hearing loss is most commonly caused by idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).

Objectives

To assess speech perception in noise among patients with idiopathic unilateral SSNHL, and examine the factors affecting the results.

Material and methods

We retrospectively enrolled 93 patients with idiopathic unilateral SSNHL. The speech signal was presented at a constant sound pressure level, while the noise signal varied from +5 dB to −5 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in units of 5 dB (S0/Nhe).

Results

As the SNR decreased, the percentage of correct answers also decreased. The correct answer rate decreased with increased hearing level at post-treatment. There was a correlation between age and speech perception, especially when dividing the patients into two groups: <65 years old and ≥65 years old.

Conclusions and significance

The results showed that speech perception clearly decreased in a noisy environment rather than in a quiet environment, and the correct answer rate of the speech perception test in noise was significantly correlated with hearing level at post-treatment. This study provides important data for future interventions for unilateral hearing loss, including cochlear implants.

Chinese Abstract

背景：单侧听力损失患者在嘈杂的环境中难以感知言语。重度至极度单侧听力损失最常见的原因是特发性突发性感觉神经性听力损失(SSNHL)。

目的：评估特发性单侧SSNHL患者在噪声中的言语感知, 并检查影响结果的因素。

材料和方法： 回顾性纳入了93 名特发性单侧SSNHL患者。语音信号以恒定声压等级 呈现, 而噪声信号以 5dB (S0/Nhe) 为单位, 在 +5dB 到 -5dB 信噪比(SNR)范围内 变化。

结果：结果：随着信噪比的降低, 正确答案的百分比也随之降低。治疗后, 正确回答率随着听力水平的提高而降低。年龄和言语感知之间存在相关性, 尤其是将患者分为两组时：< 65岁和 ≥ 65岁。

结论与意义：结果表明, 言语感知在嘈杂环境中而不是在安静环境中明显下降。噪音中言语感知测试的正确回答率与治疗后听力水平显著相关。本项研究为未来单侧听力损失的干预措施, 包括人工耳蜗, 提供了重要数据。

Keywords:

• Speech perception in noise
• sudden sensorineural hearing loss
• Japanese monosyllable test
• signal-to-noise ratio
• cochlear implant

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Editage (www.editage.com) for English language editing.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no competing interests with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a Health and Labor Sciences Research Grant. Comprehensive Research on Disability Health and Welfare from the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan (No. 20FC1048 S.U.) . This research was also funded by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (No. 21K09580 R.K.)