Short summary

This project includes two seperate projects. The first of these is a validation of a new mobile hearing test developed and designed in collaboration with software engeering co-workers at SDU Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Institute. This study also included a validation of the the AMTAS PC-based audiometry system.The second part of the study explores self-test audiometry for monitoring ototoxic hearing loss which can appear during chemo-therapy.

Rationale

Since the introduction of micro-computers 40 years ago, many attempts to develop automated audiometry procedures have been made. A challenge in the pursuit of automated audiometry has been adequate calibration and sufficient reliability, therefore, the technology has yet to be readily available in the clinic. As a result, self-administered audiometry has been attempted as a screening tool, though yielding mixed results. In the last decade, smartphones, tablet and the portable technology has become increasingly advanced and accessible. These new circumstances have resulted in new opportunities in regards to software development and hardware specifications in portable audiometry. In the first of our studies with test and retest of AMTAS and Hearing at Home (HaH)-app, we try to compare modern portable audiometry software with the clinical gold-standard audiometry to evaluate the differences and determine the reliability of the tested portable technology.

Today international standard states that chemo-therapy patients treated with cisplatin based treatment, have to get their hearing tested up to 5 times during the chemotherapy. This would demand a lot on the audiological departments if it had to be carried out with gold audiometri. This is why the patients are only tested prior to chemotherapy and then tested again 6 months later, which is even not always done. During that time the dosis of cisplatine could harm the patients' hearing. We know from research, that a big side effect to cisplatine based chemo-therapy is hearing loss and tinnitus. The purpose of the study is to get quantitative data for chemo-patients, and to make data collection for chemo-patients using the new smartphone based hearing test and to analyze the test-retest variation. And to get data which can show if it is possible to use a smartphone-based hearing test to monitor the chemo-patients' hearing loss through a self-administered hearing test using the test frequencies from 250 Hz to 16 kHz. Gold standard audiometry does only measure up to 8 kHz, but research has found a good argument using ultra-high frequencies to detect ototoxic hearing loss. The study will in addition to the hearing test also measure the patients tinnitus experience throughout the period of the study and detect if tinnitus has more influence on their life compared to the situation before they underwent chemo-therapy. 

Description of the cohort

Clinical validation study: Normal hearing subjects and subjects with hearing loss.

Proof of concept study: Subjects treated with chemotherapy whitout a history of hearing loss, and who are capable of doing the hearing test themselves. 

Data and biological material

Human hearing thresholds, personal multiquestionaire answers. 

Collaborating researchers and departments

Department of ORL Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Odense University Hospital 

• Consultant MD PhD, Associate Professor, Jesper Hvass Schmidt. 

Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital.

• Professor, Consultant MD PhD, Olfred Hansen 

Mærsk Mckinney Møller Institute, SDU. 

• Professor Jacob Nielsen
• Student Chris Bang Sørensen.