The Effect of a High-Frequency-Hearing-Threshold Weighted Value on the Diagnosis of Occupational-Noise-Induced Deafness

Abstract

Objective: In order to provide a theoretical basis for the revision of the current diagnostic criteria for occupational noise-induced deafness (ONID), we evaluated the degree of ONID by analyzing different high-frequency-hearingthreshold-weighted values (HFTWVs). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the diagnosis of patients with ONID from January 2016 to January 2017 in Guangdong province, China. Based on 3 hearing tests (each interval between the tests was greater than 3 days), the minimum threshold value of each frequency was obtained using the 2007 edition's diagnostic criteria for ONID. The speech frequency and the HFTWVs were analyzed based on age, noise exposure, and diagnostic classification using SPSS21.0. Results: 168 patients in total were involved in this study, 154 males and 14 females, and the average age was 41.18 ± 6.07. The diagnosis rate was increased by the weighted value of the high frequencies and was more than the mean value of the pure speech frequency (MVPSF). The diagnosis rate for the weighted 4 kHz frequency level increased by 13.69% (χ 2 = 9.880, P = 0.002), the weighted 6 kHz level increased by 15.47% (χ 2 = 9.985, P = 0.002), and the weighted 4 kHz + 6 kHz level increased by 15.47% (χ 2 = 9.985, P = 0.002). The differences were all statistically significant. The diagnostic rate of the different thresholds showed no obvious difference between the genders. The age groups were divided into less than or equal to 40 years old (group A) and 40-50 years old (group B). There were several groups with a high frequency: high