Clinical Importance of Binaural Information: Extending Auditory Assessment in Clinical Populations Using a Portable Testing Platform.
Anna C Diedesch, S J Adelaide Bock, Frederick J Gallun
PMID 34310186WHAT IT FOUND
Dichotic FM and spatial release from masking tests revealed hearing difficulties in people with normal or near-normal pure-tone thresholds.
These portable binaural tests can confirm patient complaints when standard audiograms and speech-in-noise scores appear normal.
Key findings
01Dichotic FM and spatial release from masking tests showed the greatest variability among participants with similar pure-tone hearing, identifying functional deficits not captured by standard audiograms.
02Two participants with similar pure-tone hearing scores differed significantly on the QuickSIN test, and one with the lowest pure-tone average performed as poorly as the one with the highest, suggesting standard thresholds miss specific auditory processing issues.
03Testing with a portable iPad platform in a quiet room was feasible, with two to three key binaural subtests taking approximately 18 to 36 minutes to complete.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was very small (only 7 participants with hearing loss), limiting the generalizability of the findings. The study compared results to normative data from a different group of young undergraduate students, which may not be an appropriate baseline for older adults with hearing loss. The spatial release from masking test had a ceiling effect, meaning some normal-hearing participants performed so well they could not be distinguished from one another. The study did not test remote home-based administration, only quiet rooms in a university setting.
Declared interests
Funded by Western Washington University and a National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders grant. No commercial conflicts declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these specific portable tests are ready for routine clinical use or that they will change reimbursement practices. The study was a small pilot demonstrating feasibility and variability, not a validation of a new diagnostic standard.