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This paper summarizes the results of trials performed in two hospitals, comparing the scoring of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) on the same neonates and within the same test session, recorded by the fully automatic device EchoScreen (Madsen Electronics/Fischer-Zoth GmbH) and ILO Otodynamics Ltd system. These trials form part of a larger project (Project Sentinel), whose primary aim is to stimulate the creation of new neonatal hearing screening programmes. Four thousand two hundred and forty-eight neonates were tested with both devices (8494 ears), in randomized order. The response scores obtained with the two devices are in full agreement in 98.72% of the tested ears. Considering the recording time, the fully automatic Echo Screen was, on average, about 3.6 times faster than the ILO88, bearing in mind, however, that when using ILO88, the end of the recording is decided by the operator on the basis of some mandatory decision rules.

Click evoked otoacoustic emissions (CEOAEs), pure-tone audiograms (PTAs), and Bekesy sweep frequency audiograms were recorded from 15 ears of 11 subjects with noise-induced hearing loss. For all ears, hearing threshold levelsor = 30 dB HL were found at the high frequencies. The aims of the study were to examine whether the decomposition of CEOAEs into narrow band components could identify hearing loss in a frequency-specific manner and to what extent audiometric thresholds could be predicted. CEOAEs were parcelled into 0.5-kHz-wide components by means of the wavelet transform. Reproducibility of CEOAE components was compared with audiometric threshold at corresponding frequencies. A general trend of low reproducibility for increasing audiometric thresholds was found. A reproducibility value of 60 per cent was found to best separate normal and elevated thresholds. The presence of a CEOAE component at a given frequency was always associated with audiometric thresholdsor = 20-25 dB HL. On the other hand, the absence of a component was equally associated either with normal or abnormal hearing levels. Large inter-subject variability was observed. A weak linear relationship was found between reproducibility and audiometric thresholds at corresponding frequencies, indicating that analysis of narrow band CEOAE components is valuable for separating normal from hearing-impaired ears but cannot replace the audiogram.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) with sound generators or with open ear hearing aids in the rehabilitation of tinnitus for a group of subjects who, according to Jastreboff categories, can be treated with both approaches to sound therapy (borderline of Category 1 and 2). Design: This study was a prospective data collection with a parallel-group design which entailed that each subject was randomly assigned to one of the two treatments group: half of the subjects were fitted binaurally with sound generators, and the other half with open ear hearing aids. Both groups received the same educational counselling sessions. Study sample: Ninety-one subjects passed the screening criteria and were enrolled into the study. Structured interviews, with a variety of measures evaluated through the use of visual-analog scales and the tinnitus handicap inventory self-administered questionnaire, were performed before the therapy and at 3, 6, and 12 months during the therapy. Results: Data showed a highly significant improvement in both tinnitus treatments starting from the first three months and up to one year of therapy, with a progressive and statistically significant decrease in the disability every three months. Conclusions: TRT was equally effective with sound generator or open ear hearing aids: they gave basically identical, statistically indistinguishable results.

This paper summarizes the results of trials performed in two hospitals, comparing the scoring of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) on the same neonates and within the same test session, recorded by the fully automatic device EchoScreen (Madsen Electronics/Fischer-Zoth GmbH) and ILO Otodynamics Ltd system. These trials form part of a larger project (Project Sentinel), whose primary aim is to stimulate the creation of new neonatal hearing screening programmes. Four thousand two hundred and forty-eight neonates were tested with both devices (8494 ears), in randomized order. The response scores obtained with the two devices are in full agreement in 98.72% of the tested ears. Considering the recording time, the fully automatic Echo Screen was, on average, about 3.6 times faster than the ILO88, bearing in mind, however, that when using ILO88, the end of the recording is decided by the operator on the basis of some mandatory decision rules.