Deterioration of Hearing due to Hearing Aids.

Abstract

In the large population with sensorineural hearing loss, one of the main reasons for insufficient adoption rate of hearing aids (HA) has been the social concern that the devices may negatively affect remaining hearing ability. To date, there have been few studies with controversial results on the issue. This study examined the long-term effects of HA on standard audiometric changes in sensorineural hearing loss. The study retrospectively analyzed patients who had newly acquired unilateral HA between 2015 and 2017 and showed consistent use for five years. Demographics; medical comorbidities; audiometric data; questionnaire results of the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE) and International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA); history of noise exposure and previous HA use were examined. Fifty-five patients used unilateral HA for a mean follow up period of 5.32 years. Thirty-one patients (56.4%) used HA on the right side. Audiometric data of the aided side did not show significant difference compared to the unaided side, in prefit pure-tone average of air conduction (AC) and word recognition score (WRS) (P= 0.73, 0.11, respectively), in fiveyear follow-up audiometry of AC and WRS (P=0.98, 0.07) or in the change from last to prefit audiometry of AC and WRS (P=0.58, 0.70). When comparing patients who showed 5dB or more deterioration of hearing on the aided side compared with the unaided side, 11 patients (20%) had worsened AC on the aided side and 23 (53.5%) presented with further deterioration of WRS on the aided side. There were no significant factors contributing to the difference in hearing deterioration in either group for AC or WRS. After long-term use of HA, there were no significant factors contributing to the hearing deterioration and, overall, the use of HA did not negatively affect residual hearing.