Impact of occupational noise exposure on the hearing level in hospital staffs: a longitudinal study.

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of occupational noise on hearing loss among healthcare workers using audiometry. A longitudinal study was conducted with a six-month follow-up period in a hospital with 21 participants, divided into high-noise-exposure (HNE) and low-noise-exposure (LNE) groups. Mean noise levels were higher in the HNE group (70.

Endoscopic Versus Microscopic Type I Tympanoplasty: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: Our objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the clinical outcomes after endoscopic and microscopic type I tympanoplasty.

Study Design: Randomized controlled trials, two-arm prospective studies, and retrospective studies were included.

Setting: Medline, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases were searched until March 1, 2022 using the combinations of search terms: "endoscopic," "microscopic," and "tympanoplasty.

TCM as adjunctive therapy improves risks of respiratory hospitalizations in persons with type 2 diabetes: A retrospective cohort study.

Patients with type 2 diabetes are at a higher risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma than the general population. In addition, emerging evidence suggests that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) might be beneficial for patients with type 2 diabetes. We investigated whether TCM use was associated with a reduced risk of respiratory hospitalizations in patients with type 2 diabetes.

A comprehensive finite-element human ear model to estimate noise-induced hearing loss associated with occupational noise exposure.

Background And Objective: Noise is a common occupational and environmental hazard; however, little is known about the use of computational tools to quantitively analyze data on basilar membrane (BM) damage in noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Here, we established a comprehensive three-dimensional finite-element human ear model to quantify the impact of noise exposure on BM and perilymph fluid.

Methods: We used auditory risk units (ARUs) to evaluate the BM damage for subjects (3 men and 5 women; mean age, 32.

Hypothyroidism and related comorbidities on the risks of developing tinnitus.

This is a retrospective longitudinal study that uses data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan of which hypothyroid patients who received a diagnosis between 2000 and 2010 were selected and followed up until 2011. The primary outcome of this study was the occurrence of tinnitus (ICD-9-CM code 388.3).

Effects of age-related tympanic-membrane material properties on sound transmission in the middle ear in a three-dimensional finite-element model.

Background And Objectives: The Young's modulus of the tympanic membrane (TM) is an important modeling parameter in computer simulations of the sound transmission in the ear. Understanding the material mechanics of the TM is essential to improve the coupling between the tympanic membrane and the auditory ossicles. However, the impact of the age-related Young's modulus of the TM on sound transmission is not well known.

Association between exposure to road traffic noise and hearing impairment: a case-control study.

Purpose: Noise pollution in urban areas is increasing steadily, and the study of road traffic noises and their effects on the auditory system was rare. This study investigated the potential effects of road traffic noise on auditory systems and hearing.

Methods: A case-control study recruited outpatients from the Otolaryngology department.

Effect of Chinese Herbal Medicine Therapy on Overall and Cancer Related Mortality in Patients With Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Taiwan.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a head and neck cancer involving epithelial squamous-cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx that mainly occurs in individuals from East and Southeast Asia. We investigated whether Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) as a complementary therapy offers benefits to these patients. We retrospectively evaluated the Taiwan Cancer Registry (Long Form) database for patients with advanced NPC, using or not using CHM, between 2007-2013.

Noise Induced Hearing Loss and Tinnitus-New Research Developments and Remaining Gaps in Disease Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention.

Long-term noise exposure often results in noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). Tinnitus, the generation of phantom sounds, can also result from noise exposure, although understanding of its underlying mechanisms are limited. Recent studies, however, are shedding light on the neural processes involved in NIHL and tinnitus, leading to potential new and innovative treatments.

Reliability of the Minimum Masking Level as Outcome Variable in Tinnitus Clinical Research.

Purpose The minimum masking level (MML) is the minimum intensity of a stimulus required to just totally mask the tinnitus. Treatments aimed at reducing the tinnitus itself should attempt to measure the magnitude of the tinnitus. The objective of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the MML.

Low-grade albuminuria is associated with hearing loss in non-diabetic US males: A cross-sectional analysis of 1999-2004 national health and nutrition examination survey.

High levels of albuminuria have been demonstrated to associate with hearing loss in non-diabetic people, while the clinical impact of low-grade albuminuria has attracted less attention. This cross-sectional population-based study aimed to examine whether hearing loss in non-diabetic United States (US) adults is independently associated with low-grade albuminuria or reduced estimated glomeruli filtration rate (eGFR).A total of 2518 participants aged 20 to 69 years were selected from the US National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey database.

Comparative effectiveness of simultaneous integrated boost vs sequential intensity-modulated radiotherapy for oropharyngeal or hypopharyngeal cancer patients: A population-based propensity score-matched analysis.

There were 2 common radiotherapy dose fractionation strategies in head-and-neck cancer patients (such as oropharyngeal cancer [OPC] or hypopharyngeal cancer [HPC]) treated with radiotherapy: intensity-modulated radiotherapy using simultaneous integrated boost (IMRT-SIB) and sequential IMRT (IMRT-SEQ). There is a lack of high-level clinical evidence to compare IMRT-SIB vs IMRT-SEQ specifically for OPC or HPC patients. The present study investigated the survival outcomes of OPC or HPC patients receiving definite concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with either IMRT-SIB or IMRT-SEQ via a population-based propensity score (PS)-based analysis.

Comparison of Balloon Dilation and Laser Eustachian Tuboplasty in Patients with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction: A Meta-analysis.

Objective We aimed to perform a meta-analysis examining balloon dilatation and laser tuboplasty for the treatment of eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). Data Sources PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase search up to April 18, 2016, with the following keywords: eustachian, middle-ear, eustachian tuboplasty, balloon tuboplasty, laser tuboplasty, laser dilatation, and balloon dilatation. Review Methods Randomized controlled trials and prospective, retrospective, and 1-arm studies of patients with ETD treated with balloon dilatation or laser tuboplasty were included.

Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Patients With Tinnitus: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

Objectives: Subjective tinnitus is a phantom sensation experienced without any external source of sound that profoundly impacts the quality of life. Some investigations have claimed that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) reduces tinnitus, but studies on tDCS have demonstrated variable results. This meta-analysis aimed to examine the effect of tDCS on patients with tinnitus.

Predictors of hearing outcomes following low-dose stereotactic radiosurgery in patients with vestibular schwannomas: A retrospective cohort review.

Objectives: Hearing deterioration is a major concern for hearing-preserved patients with vestibular schwannomas who are treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Thus, determining which patients are more likely to have worse hearing outcomes following SRS may facilitate clinicians in deciding whether conservative policy should be applied in the interest of hearing preservation. This study aimed to define the predictors of hearing outcomes following SRS.

Treatment success with titratable thermoplastic mandibular advancement devices for obstructive sleep apnea: A comparison of patient characteristics.

A titratable thermoplastic mandibular advancement device (MAD) is clearly an effective treatment option in some patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Determining which patients may be more likely to respond to treatment with thermoplastic MADs and to adhere to treatment would be of obvious clinical relevance. This was an experimental descriptive study (N = 60).

Survey on the Effectiveness of Dietary Supplements to Treat Tinnitus.

Purpose: We surveyed the benefit of dietary supplements to treat tinnitus and reported adverse effects.

Method: A website was created for people with tinnitus to complete a variety of questions.

Results: The 1,788 subjects who responded to questionnaires came from 53 different countries; 413 (23.

Manganese and Lipoflavonoid Plus(®) to Treat Tinnitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Several tinnitus sufferers suggest that manganese has been helpful with their tinnitus.

Purpose: We tested this in a controlled experiment where participants were committed to taking manganese and Lipoflavonoid Plus(®) to treat their tinnitus.

Research Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Development of Subcortical Pitch Representation in Three-Month-Old Chinese Infants.

This study investigated the development of subcortical pitch processing, as reflected by the scalp-recorded frequency-following response, during early infancy. Thirteen Chinese infants who were born and raised in Mandarin-speaking households were recruited to partake in this study. Through a prospective-longitudinal study design, infants were tested twice: at 1-3 days after birth and at three months of age.