Accuracy and Pitfalls in the Smartphone-Based Audiometry Examination.

Introduction: Approximately 466 million people suffer from hearing loss worldwide, with Indonesia ranking fourth in Southeast Asia. However, conventional pure-tone audiometry is not yet available in many areas because of its high cost. Numerous available smartphone-based audiometry applications are potential alternative screening tools for hearing loss, especially in Indonesia. This study examined the findings on the validation of smartphone-based audiometry applications to assess hearing functions available in Indonesia. Materials and Methods: Based on the established eligibility criteria, this study was conducted by browsing the relevant literature validating smartphone-based audiometry applications in Indonesia. Relevant study data, such as the author, year, location, implementation procedures, and outcomes, were extracted and summarized. Results: This systematic review found 17 relevant and eligible publications. Of the six applications tested, 5 were found to have good validity, such as uHearTM, Audiogram MobileTM, AudCalTM, Hearing TestTM e-audiologia, and WuliraTM. All smartphone-based audiometry was tested only for the air conduction threshold and was influenced by several factors. Conclusion: Because smartphone-based audiometry is inexpensive, simple, and more accessible than conventional audiometric testing, it can be useful as a screening modality or alternative approach to assess hearing function. Unfortunately, smartphone-based audiometry cannot replace conventional audiometry in diagnosing hearing impairment.

Curcumin Prevents Ototoxicity Induced by Cisplatin as Evaluated with OAE.

Introduction: This study, assess the efficacy of curcumin therapy in preventing/improving cochlear damage in Rattus norvegicus ototoxic model as evaluated with OAE examination. Materials and Methods: This study utilized 27 rats which had been injected with single dose 8mg/KgBB of cisplatin, and then divided into 3 groups. The first group was not given curcumin. The second group received curcumin at a dose of 150 mg/KgBB. The third group received curcumin at a dose of 300 mg/KgBB. Curcumin was given from the time of single dose cisplatin injection (day 0) to day 7. OAE examination was performed on the day before the single dose of cisplatin (day 0), day 3, 4 and 7 after curcumin administration. Results: There was a decline in the average value of SNR in all groups starting from high frequency. However, in the rat groups receiving curcumin there was a slow decrease in the SNR value, which also obtained statistically significant differences in the SNR values of all groups. Conclusion: Administration of certain doses of curcumin may reduce the modest and statistically insignificant decrease in mean SNR values indicating a reduction in ototoxicity from cisplatin.

Differentiation capacity of dental pulp stem cell into inner ear hair cell using an in vitro assay: a preliminary step toward treating sensorineural hearing loss.

PURPOSE: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is commonly caused by the death or dysfunction of cochlear cell types as a result of their lack of regenerative capacity. However, regenerative medicine, such as stem cell therapy, has become a promising tool to cure many diseases, including hearing loss. In this study, we determined whether DPSCs could differentiate into cochlear hair cell in vitro. METHODS: DPSCs derived from human third molar dental pulp were induced into NSCs using a medium containing basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) for 7 days, and then into cochlear hair cell using a medium containing EGF and IGF-1 for the next 14 days. We used the neuroepithelial protein marker nestin and cochlear hair cell marker myosin VIIa as the markers for cells differentiation. Cells expressing the positive markers under the microscope were confirmed to have differentiated into cochlear hair cell. RESULTS: DPSCs were successfully induced to differentiate into NSCs, with mean 24% nestin-positive cells. We found that DPSC-derived NSCs have a great capacity in differentiating into inner ear hair cell-like cells with an average of 81% cells presenting myosin VIIa. Thus, DPSCs have high potential to serve as a good resource for SNHL treatment. CONCLUSION: We found the high potential of DPSCs to differentiate into NSC. The ability of DPSCs in differentiating into neural lineage cell made them a good candidate for regenerative therapy in neural diseases, such as SNHL.

Efficacy of Boric Acid as a Treatment of Choice for Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media and Its Ototoxicity.

Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is one of the most common chronic infectious diseases worldwide, especially affecting children. The patients or the parents of the affected children are often worried about the cost of medical visits, prescription medicines, or inconsistently effective medication. The complications of CSOM have been greatly reduced because of the development of antibiotics; however, the irrational use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of organisms resistant to the commonly used drugs. Owing to the increase in antibiotic resistance, the development of new treatments that will efficiently eradicate infectious microorganisms has become imperative. Boric acid solutions are effective in the treatment of CSOM because of their acidic effect. Various databases, such as the PubMed, The Cochrane Library, and SciELO, were searched for references related to the efficacy of boric acid in the treatment of mucosal CSOM, as well as its ototoxicity. The search revealed that boric acid is relatively effective in treating CSOM, especially at a high concentration. Boric acid in distilled water was found safe in animal studies. However, the ototoxicity of boric acid concentrations higher than 4% needs further evaluation, considering the effectivity of boric acid at high concentrations.

Curcumin Reduces the Noise-Exposed Cochlear Fibroblasts Apoptosis

Abstract Introduction The structural changes underlying permanent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) include loss of the sensory hair cells, damage to their stereocilia, and supporting tissues within the cochlear lateral wall. Objective The objective of this study is to demonstrate curcumin as a safe and effective therapeutic agent in the prevention and treatment for fibroblasts damage within the cochlear supporting tissues and lateral wall through cell death pathway. Methods We divided 24 Rattus norvegicus into 4 groups, Group 1: control; Group 2: noise (þ); Group 3: noise (þ), 50 mg/day curcumin (þ); Group 4: noise (þ), 100 mg/day curcumin (þ). We provided the noise exposure dose at 100 dB SPL for two hours over two weeks and administered the curcumin orally over two weeks. We examined all samples for the expressions of calcineurin, nuclear factor of activated T-cells cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1), and apoptotic index of cochlear fibroblasts. Results We found significant differences for the expressions of calcineurin (p< 0.05) in all groups, significant differences for the expressions of NFATc1 (p< 0.05) in all groups, except in Groups 1 and 4, and significant differences for the apoptotic index (p< 0.05) in all groups. Conclusion Curcumin proved to be potentially effective in the prevention and treatment for fibroblasts damage within the cochlear supporting tissues and lateral wall regarding the decreased expression of calcineurin, NFATc1, and apoptotic index of cochlear fibroblasts.

Influence of Hormonal Changes on Audiologic Examination in Normal Ovarian Cycle Females: An Analytic Study

Abstract Introduction There is only limited information from previous studies that suggest that auditory function may be influenced by hormones. Recent advances in the field have exposed the potential role of hormones in modulating the auditory system. Objective This study aims to investigate the relationship between menstrual cycle and outer hair cell function with audiological examination. Methods This is an analytic study with a cross-sectional design. The sampling was a systematic random sampling. We found 49 women with normal menstrual cycle and collected their data through interviews, physical examination, and examination of the ear, with otoscopic and other routine otorhinolaryngology examinations. We evaluated Tympanometry, distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE), and pure tone audiometry. Results We found the audiometric threshold worse in the follicular phase than other phases at 4000 Hz of the right ear, and in the ovulation was found best than any other phases at 1000 Hz of the left ear with significant difference. We found significant difference of DPOAE between ovulation time and follicular phase at 3000 Hz and 1000 Hz in the left ear and between ovulation and luteal phased at 2000 Hz, 3000 Hz and 5000 Hz in the right ear and at 1000 Hz in the left ear with p< 0.05. Conclusion The result of this study showed that only a small part of audiometry threshold had a significant difference between each menstrual phase. In other words, we found no correlation between menstrual and audiometry threshold. Nonetheless, there is a correlation between menstrual cycle phase and DPOAE amplitude.

Influence of Hormonal Changes on Audiologic Examination in Normal Ovarian Cycle Females: An Analytic Study.

Introduction There is only limited information from previous studies that suggest that auditory function may be influenced by hormones. Recent advances in the field have exposed the potential role of hormones in modulating the auditory system. Objective This study aims to investigate the relationship between menstrual cycle and outer hair cell function with audiological examination. Methods This is an analytic study with a cross-sectional design. The sampling was a systematic random sampling. We found 49 women with normal menstrual cycle and collected their data through interviews, physical examination, and examination of the ear, with otoscopic and other routine otorhinolaryngology examinations. We evaluated Tympanometry, distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE), and pure tone audiometry. Results We found the audiometric threshold worse in the follicular phase than other phases at 4000 Hz of the right ear, and in the ovulation was found best than any other phases at 1000 Hz of the left ear with significant difference. We found significant difference of DPOAE between ovulation time and follicular phase at 3000 Hz and 1000 Hz in the left ear and between ovulation and luteal phased at 2000 Hz, 3000 Hz and 5000 Hz in the right ear and at 1000 Hz in the left ear with p < 0.05. Conclusion The result of this study showed that only a small part of audiometry threshold had a significant difference between each menstrual phase. In other words, we found no correlation between menstrual and audiometry threshold. Nonetheless, there is a correlation between menstrual cycle phase and DPOAE amplitude.

Curcumin Reduces the Noise-Exposed Cochlear Fibroblasts Apoptosis.

Introduction The structural changes underlying permanent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) include loss of the sensory hair cells, damage to their stereocilia, and supporting tissues within the cochlear lateral wall. Objective The objective of this study is to demonstrate curcumin as a safe and effective therapeutic agent in the prevention and treatment for fibroblasts damage within the cochlear supporting tissues and lateral wall through cell death pathway. Methods We divided 24 Rattus norvegicus into 4 groups, Group 1: control; Group 2: noise (+); Group 3: noise (+), 50 mg/day curcumin (+); Group 4: noise (+), 100 mg/day curcumin (+). We provided the noise exposure dose at 100 dB SPL for two hours over two weeks and administered the curcumin orally over two weeks. We examined all samples for the expressions of calcineurin, nuclear factor of activated T-cells cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1), and apoptotic index of cochlear fibroblasts. Results We found significant differences for the expressions of calcineurin (p < 0.05) in all groups, significant differences for the expressions of NFATc1 (p < 0.05) in all groups, except in Groups 1 and 4, and significant differences for the apoptotic index (p < 0.05) in all groups. Conclusion Curcumin proved to be potentially effective in the prevention and treatment for fibroblasts damage within the cochlear supporting tissues and lateral wall regarding the decreased expression of calcineurin, NFATc1, and apoptotic index of cochlear fibroblasts.