Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research Vol.55 1128-1134 August 2012. doi:10.1044/1092-4388(2011/11-0204)
© American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
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Article

Aging and the 4-kHz Air–Bone Gap

David M. Nondahla
Ted S. Tweeda
Karen J. Cruickshanksa
Terry L. Wileya
Dayna S. Daltona
a University of Wisconsin–Madison

Correspondence to David M. Nondahl: nondahl{at}episense.wisc.edu

Purpose: In this study, the authors assessed age- and sex-related patterns in the prevalence and 10-year incidence of 4-kHz air–bone gaps and associated factors.

Method: Data were obtained as part of the longitudinal, population-based Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study ( Cruickshanks et al., 1998). An air–bone gap at 4 kHz was defined as an air-conduction threshold ≥ 15 dB higher than the bone-conduction threshold in the right ear.

Results: Among 3,553 participants ages 48–92 years at baseline (1993–1995), 3.4% had a 4-kHz air–bone gap in the right ear. The prevalence increased with age. Among the 120 participants with an air–bone gap, 60.0% did not have a flat tympanogram or an air–bone gap at 0.5 kHz. Ten years later, the authors assessed 2,093 participants who did not have a 4-kHz air–bone gap at baseline; 9.2% had developed a 4-kHz air–bone gap in the right ear. The incidence increased with age. Among the 192 participants who had developed an air–bone gap, 60.9% did not have a flat tympanogram or air–bone gaps at other frequencies.

Conclusion: These results suggest that a finding of a 4-kHz air–bone gap may reflect a combination of aging and other factors and not necessarily exclusively abnormal middle-ear function.

KEY WORDS: hearing impairment, conductive loss, hearing disorders, older adults


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