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Background: Noise-induced hearing loss is a common causes of sensorineural hearing loss. Drivers of heavy vehicles such as bus and truck are more exposed to the noise associated with traffic and automobiles than other members of the community, which can damage their auditory system. The present study was conducted to investigate the hearing status of heavy vehicle drivers and its relationship with factors such as age under 40 years, work experience and mean daily working hours. Materials and Methods: The present study examined the level of sensorineural hearing loss in 132 drivers, i.e. 264 ears. The drivers’ details, including age, work experience and mean daily working hours, were first recorded. Every candidate then underwent otoscopy and pure-tone audiometry at frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 Hz performed by an audiologist in a sound treated room. The blood pressure of these drivers was also recorded using normal techniques of blood pressure measurement. The drivers with other sensorineural hearing loss factors, including presbycusis at ages over 40 and ototoxicity, were excluded from the study. Results: The drivers’ mean age was found to be 34.0±5.097 years, their mean work experience 11.19±5.158 years and their daily working hours 5-16 hours with a mean of 9.2±56.275 hours. The highest frequency of hearing loss was observed at a frequency of 4000 Hz in about 23% of the drivers, followed the prevalence observed at 8000 Hz. No significant differences were found between hearing thresholds of intra-city and intercity drivers. Moreover, significant relationships were observed between the level of hearing loss and factors such as age, work experience and the mean daily working hours. Conclusion: Hearing loss was observed in about one quarter of the drivers, suggesting a high frequency of noise-induced hearing loss in drivers despite the elimination of other factors contributing to sensorineural hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The cochlea and vestibule are related developmentally. Therefore individuals with severe to profound sensourineural hearing loss have additional risk for vestibular dysfunction. The aim of this study was to assess saccular function using vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) in children with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) who are candidates for cochlear implant. Methods: Thirty children (17 males and 13 females) with bilateral severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss in the age range of 3-15 years participated in this study. 17 children (9 males and 8 females) with normal hearing in the age range of 3-13 years participated as the control group. All children in each group were evaluated for saccular function by performing vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials in both ears. Results: Comparison of mean threshold values between the two groups revealed statistically significant difference (p<0.05). In addition, comparison of mean amplitude values between the two groups revealed statistically significant difference (p<0.05). However, comparison of p13 and n23 latency values between the two groups revealed no significant difference (p>0.05). Out of the 30 children with bilateral severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss eight children (26.66%) had absent VEMP responses in both ears. Conclusion: Children with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss who are candidates for cochlear implant had more potential for saccular abnormalities compared to normal-hearing children. Therefore, assessment of vestibular function is very important in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Hearing impairment or auditory disorder is a hidden disability and is one of the most common anomalies at birth and leaves so negative effects on speech, language and cognition development. The aim of this study was the assessment of the incidence of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) among neonates. Materials and methods: In this prospective cohort study, 870 neonates were recruited by nonrandom sampling method. After filling in the demographic and clinical check lists, automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) was performed for neonates at the beginning of hospitalization; then they were followed-up and again they were assessed with AABR and for those babies who had abnormal AABR, auditory brainstem response (ABR) was performed before discharge at the same day. Results: The mean age of the infants on admission was 3.75 ± 4.86 days and 56.4% of them were females. Totally, 3.4% of the infants had SNHL. There was a statistically significant difference between the hearing loss and the variables of birth weight, Apgar score at 1st and 5th minutes, total serum bilirubin, mechanical ventilation and its duration (P < 0.05). However, there was not a statistically significant difference between the hearing loss and the variables of age and sex of neonates, type of delivery, mother's age and number of exchange transfusion (P > 0.05). Conclusion: This study estimates the incidence of SNHL in hospitalized neonates (3.4%) which was so much similar to other studies in Iran and other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: One of the most important applications of electrode physiological tests is early diagnosis of hearing loss and estimating of hearing threshold in neonate and children for early auditory intervention. Auditory Steady--State Response (ASSR) is modern technology for threshold detection in audiology. Measurement of Auditory brainstem response (ABR) is most common method of detection auditory threshold in neonates. The goal of this article was to correlate the results between thresholds obtained from ASSR and click-ABR. Subjects and Methods: In this descriptive-analytic design, 32 children with mild and moderate hearing loss, aged between birth to 7 years, were studied. All children were evaluated by both ASSR and C-ABR. Results: The correlation coefficients for frequencies of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, mean of 2-4, and mean of 1-4 kHz were between 0.40- 0.87 in mild hearing loss and 0.52-0.91 in moderate hearing loss(P<0.05). Conclusion: C-ABR and ASSR thresholds in mean frequencies had a greater correlation than single-frequency(P-Value< 0.001<0.002-0.015). This correlation was higher in greater degrees of hearing loss and higher frequencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multipe sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinative disease of central nervous system which because of high prevalence and high morbidity is in the focus of scientists' attention. Hearing loss in 6- 10% of patients with MS is seen. Also, impaired speech reception threshold is 40-50% in MS patients. The aim of this study was comparing the prevalence of sensorinural hearing loss and impaired speech reception threshold in MS and control groups. Methods: In a case-control cross-sectional study, 112 patients with MS and 112 healthy people in control group were assessed in Isfahan. Demographic findings, presenting symptoms and number of lesion in MRI were obtained. Finding: From 112 patients with MS, 75% were women. The age was 28.02 ± 6.6 years in MS group and 25.22 ± 3.8 years in control group. In this study, sensorineural hearing loss in patients with MS was 40.2% compared to 6.3% in controls (P < 0.001). Also, sensorineural hearing loss prevalence in women (40.5%) was more than men (39.3%) in MS group. There prevalence of mild and profound impaired speech reception threshold was 33.9% and 1.8% respectively; while there was moderate impaired speech reception threshold only in 0.9% of our control group. Speech reception threshold of all women in control group was normal and only one man (3.5%) had impaired speech reception threshold in control group (P = 0.33). Discussion: In patients with MS, the prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss and impaired speech reception threshold were like recent studies. Higher age may be a potential source of sensorineural hearing loss in MS group. Women sexuality may be a potential source of impaired speech reception threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]