Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the difference of the contralateral acoustic reflex (AR) threshold between adult subjects with hearing within clinically normal limits, with and without tinnitus.Method: The study sample in this exploratory, descriptive, and comparative study comprised 40 female subjects who were evaluated: 20 had tinnitus and 20 formed the control group. The contralateral AR threshold was evaluated at the frequencies of 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz.Results: Elevated or absent AR thresholds were found only in subjects with complaints of tinnitus. At all frequencies and in either ear, the median AR threshold was higher in the group that complained of tinnitus (100.0 dB; range = 95.0–100.0 dB) compared with the control group (90.0 dB; range = 86.3–95.0 dB;p< .01). There was a statistically significant difference (p< .05) in the group with tinnitus, in each of the frequencies studied and in both the right and left ear.Conclusion: The results suggest that evaluation of the efferent system, through AR, could be an important tool for the differential diagnosis of tinnitus in patients whose hearing was within clinically normal limits.

RESUMO Objetivo: Investigar a manifestação de sintomas do transtorno do processamento auditivo central em crianças com hipotireoidismo congênito. Métodos: Estudo de caráter exploratório, descritivo e transversal com 112 pacientes com hipotireoidismo congênito com idade ≥5 anos. Realizou-se entrevista com os pais/cuidadores no momento da espera da consulta médica. Portadores de outras afecções médicas foram excluídos. Como instrumento de pesquisa utilizou-se o protocolo estruturado de anamnese para avaliação do processamento auditivo rotineiramente empregado por audiologistas. A análise estatística utilizou o teste Qui-quadrado. Resultados: A distribuição por sexo foi semelhante (meninas: 53,3%). Os casos não-disgenesia constituíram a forma fenotípica mais prevalente para o hipotireoidismo congênito (88,4%), e verificou-se que 65,3% das crianças apresentavam algum episódio de níveis séricos irregulares de hormônio tireoestimulante. Dentre as manifestações mais frequentes dos sintomas do transtorno do processamento auditivo central, as queixas relaciondas às funções cognitivas auditivas, como: figura-fundo (83,0%), atenção auditiva (75,9%) e memória auditiva (33,0%) foram as mais evidentes. Reclamações relacionadas ao rendimento escolar foram reportadas em 62,3%. Conclusões: Os dados obtidos evidenciaram altas frequências de sintomas de defasagem nas funções cognitivas relacionadas ao processamento auditivo central, em especial na atenção auditiva, figura-fundo e memória auditiva nos portadores do hipotireoidismo congênito.

Purpose To investigate the functionalities of the neural pathways through the auditory evoked potentials of the brainstem and the contralateral stapedial acoustic reflexes in normal-hearing individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus, in order to detect possible alterations in the central auditory pathways. Methods This is a cross-sectional study with a comparison group and a convenience sample, consisting of 32 individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 20 controls without the disease. All subjects had hearing thresholds within normal limits and type A tympanometric curves. The acoustic reflex arc and brainstem auditory potentials were investigated. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 17.0. The Chi-square test, Student´s t-test, and Multiple linear regression were used. Results The auditory thresholds of the acoustic reflex were statistically lower in the group with the disease at frequencies of 0.5 kHz and 1.0 kHz in the left ear (p=0.01 and p=0.01, respectively). The absolute latencies III and V of the auditory potentials of the brainstem in the right ear and V in the left ear were increased in subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus (p=0.03, p=0.02 and p=0.03, respectively). Conclusion The findings suggest that subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus are more likely to present alterations in the central auditory pathways, even with auditory thresholds within normal limits.

To evaluate the hearing of children with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) and to analyze the knowledge that parents’ have on the possible auditory impacts of the disease. A total of 263 parents/guardians were interviewed about aspects of CH and hearing. Audiological evaluation was performed on 80 participants, divided into two groups: with CH (n= 50) and without CH (n=30). Clinical and laboratory CH data were obtained from medical records, pure tone auditory thresholds and acoustic reflexes were analyzed. The auditory data was compared between groups. Student’s t-test and Chi-square were used for statistical analysis at a significance level of 5% (p ≤0.05). The majority (78%), of the parents were unaware that CH when not treated early is a potential risk to hearing. There was no correlation between socioeconomic class and level of information about CH and hearing (p>0,05; p=0.026). There was a statistically significant difference between the auditory tone thresholds of the groups and between the levels of intensity necessary for the triggering of the acoustic reflex. The group with CH presented the worst results (p≤0.05) and absence of acoustic reflex in a normal tympanometric condition. Children with CH are more likely to develop damage to the auditory system involving retrocochlear structures when compared to healthy children, and that the disease may have been a risk factor for functional deficits without deteriorating hearing sensitivity. The possible impacts of CH on hearing, when not treated early, should be more publicized among the parents/guardians of this population.

Palavras-chave: Retroalimentação; Percepção auditiva; Qualidade da voz; Nível de discriminação sonora; Percepção sonora