Hearing Health Research

[INTRODUCTION] Assessment of resonance characteristics is essential in research and clinical practice in individuals with velopharyngeal impairment. The purpose of this study was to systematically review correlations between auditory-perceptual ratings and nasalance scores obtained by a nasometer in individuals with resonance disorders and to identify factors that affected the correlations between these two measures. [METHOD] Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, a systematic search was conducted for studies reporting a correlation between nasality ratings and nasalance scores using six electronic databases based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. [RESULTS] A total of 27 studies were included in this systematic review. Characteristics of study components including participants, types of assessment and stimuli, correlation coefficients, and reliability values of each study were identified, and a narrative synthesis was conducted. The methodological quality of each study was also appraised. The correlation level between nasalance values and nasality ratings varied from nonsignificant to strong ( [DISCUSSION] Factors that did or did not affect the varied correlation between nasality ratings and nasalance scores were discussed. Speech stimuli and the listeners' background were associated with correlations between the two measures. In addition, the sex of the speakers could be a factor affecting its correlation. However, the types of perceptual scales and listening conditions did not influence its correlations between the two measures. [SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL] https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.19653207.

Iodine, through the thyroid hormones, is required for the development of the auditory cortex and cochlea (the sensory organ for hearing). Deafness is a well-documented feature of endemic cretinism resulting from severe iodine deficiency. However, the range of effects of suboptimal iodine intake during auditory development on the hearing ability of children is less clear. We therefore aimed to systematically review the evidence for the association between iodine exposure (i.e. intake/status/supplementation) during development (i.e. pregnancy and/or childhood) and hearing outcomes in children. We searched PubMed and Embase and identified 330 studies, of which thirteen were included in this review. Only three of the thirteen studies were of low risk of bias or of good quality, this therefore limited our ability to draw firm conclusions. Nine of the studies (69 %) were in children (one RCT, two non-RCT interventions and six cross-sectional studies) and four (31 %) were in pregnant women (one RCT, one cohort study and two case reports). The RCT of iodine supplementation in mildly iodine-deficient pregnant women found no effect on offspring hearing thresholds. However, hearing was a secondary outcome of the trial and not all women were from an iodine-deficient area. Iodine supplementation of severely iodine-deficient children (in both non-RCT interventions) resulted in improved hearing thresholds. Five of six cross-sectional studies (83 %) found that higher iodine status in children was associated with better hearing. The current evidence base for the association between iodine status and hearing outcomes is limited and further good-quality research on this topic is needed.

[PURPOSE] Auditory acclimatization refers to changes in auditory performance over time due to hearing aid modifications, extending beyond task-specific or training effects. This preregistered systematic review expands on previous ones by examining a broader range of outcomes, including auditory (e.g., speech recognition, electrophysiological responses) and selected nonauditory (e.g., self-reported outcomes) measures. It aimed to assess acclimatization's presence, magnitude, and influencing factors, focusing on controlled trials comparing postfitting aided outcomes with a control group. This is the first review to comprehensively report self-reported outcomes, advancing the field. [METHOD] A systematic literature search was conducted in CINAHL, PubMed, and Web of Science in March 2024. Eligible studies followed the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study Design, and Timeline framework, including new adult hearing aid users with sensorineural hearing loss using air-conduction hearing aids. Studies were required to report outcomes, with a comparator and at least two data points in the same condition. Exclusions applied to studies involving children, advanced feature devices, surgical implants, non-peer-reviewed work, or uncontrolled studies. The review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and was registered on PROSPERO. A planned meta-analysis was excluded due to missing data. [RESULTS] The review included 25 controlled studies on auditory acclimatization. Of these, 18 examined speech recognition, with 10 reporting acclimatization, one mixed, and seven no acclimatization. Among eight studies with self-reported outcomes, three supported acclimatization, three showed mixed results, and two found no evidence. For electrophysiological outcomes, four of seven studies reported acclimatization, and three did not. Consistent hearing aid use and hearing loss severity influenced acclimatization, while cognitive abilities and age had no significant impact. Of the 25 studies, 16% were rated good quality, 80% were rated fair, and 4% were rated poor, with common issues including lack of randomization, blinding, and insufficient sample size reporting. [CONCLUSIONS] This review highlighted the complexity of auditory acclimatization, influenced by various factors. Evidence suggested acclimatization occurred in some users and outcomes, though improvements were modest and variable. The most consistent gains were in speech recognition in noise and self-reported measures (e.g., Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit, Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly, Glasgow Hearing Aid Benefit Profile), though changes were generally modest. Future studies should include essential statistical data, prioritize randomized controlled trials, and ensure early baseline and key interval measurements to better isolate and quantify acclimatization effects. [SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL] https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.29242493.

[OBJECTIVE] Telecommunication can be difficult in the presence of noise or hearing loss. The purpose of this study was to systematically review evidence regarding the effects of text supplementation (e.g. captions, subtitles) of auditory or auditory-visual signals on speech intelligibility for listeners with normal or impaired hearing. [DESIGN] Three databases were searched. Articles were evaluated for inclusion based on the Population Intervention Comparison Outcome framework. The Effective Public Health Practice Project instrument was used to evaluate the quality of the identified articles. [STUDY SAMPLE] After duplicates were removed, the titles and abstracts of 2019 articles were screened. Forty-six full texts were reviewed; ten met inclusion criteria. [RESULTS] The quality of all ten articles was moderate or strong. The articles demonstrated that text added to auditory (or auditory-visual) signals improved speech intelligibility and that the benefits were largest when auditory signal integrity was low, accuracy of the text was high, and the auditory signal and text were synchronous. Age and hearing loss did not affect benefits from the addition of text. [CONCLUSIONS] Although only based on ten studies, these data support the use of text as a supplement during telecommunication, such as while watching television or during telehealth appointments.