Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine extended high-frequency (EHF) hearing in patients
with acoustic trauma.
Design: A prospective, case-control study in a group of soldiers with acoustic trauma caused
by shooting practice during basic training.
Setting: Tertiary referral centre.
Participants: A total of 39 young soldiers hospitalized for hearing loss and tinnitus following
exposure to weapon impulse noise were studied. Conventional audiometry in the frequency
range 0.25-8 kHz and EHF audiometry in the frequency range 9-20 kHz were performed,
both on admittance and before discharge. Thirty healthy recruits of similar age and
sex were used as controls.
Main Outcome Measures: Pure-tone threshold changes documented by conventional and EHF audiometry.
Results: The most significant differences in pure-tone thresholds on initial testing were
found in the frequency range 0.25-11.2 kHz, and especially in the 4-8 kHz region.
Reduction in thresholds across most frequencies was observed after treatment, although
recovery was partial in most cases.
Conclusions: The EHF audiometry adds no significant additional information to conventional pure-tone
audiometry in assessing and monitoring noise-induced hearing loss.
