Audiological, Phonatory and Cardiac Correlates of Individuals Exposed to Low-Frequency Noise or at Risk of Vibroacoustic Disease

Verma, Himanshu; Shah, Jyoti; Singh, Apurva; Singh, Shakshi; Sharma, Bhawna; Shukla, Bhanu

doi:10.1055/s-0042-1750160

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Original Research • iao 27 (3) • Jul-Sep 2023 • https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0042-1750160 copy

Audiological, Phonatory and Cardiac Correlates of Individuals Exposed to Low-Frequency Noise or at Risk of Vibroacoustic Disease

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Introduction

Low-frequency noise (LFN) is hazardous to hearing. Long-term exposure to LFN may lead to vibroacoustic disease (VAD), which not only affects a specific organ but the physiological function of entire systems, such as the auditory, phonatory, respiratory, and cardiac systems. Moreover, VAD may lead to many psychological problems and hence affect the quality of life.

Objective

To investigate the adverse effects of LFN on hearing, acoustic and perceptual correlates of the voice, blood pressure, cardiac rate, and anxiety level.

Method

A total of 20 subjects exposed to LFN and 20 not exposed to LFN were included, and a detailed case history was recorded. The patients were submitted to pure tone audiometry, otoscopic examination, acoustic and perceptual analyses of the voice, maximum phonation time, and an assessment of the s/z ratio. We also assessed blood pressure, and the results of a voice-related quality of life questionnaire and of the Hamilton anxiety rating scale.

Results

The results indicate that LFN had an adverse impact on the high-frequency threshold. The present study found a significant difference in shimmer and harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR) values. Few subjects had high blood pressure and showed the sign of anxiety on the Hamilton anxiety rating scale.

Conclusion

Low-frequency noise has adverse effects on entire systems of the body and causes many psychological issues, which, in turn negatively affect quality of life.

Keywords
anxiety; hoarseness; hearing loss; blood Pressure

	Participants	Age (years)	Work experience in noisy situation (years)	Daily working hours
	Participant 1	54	14	10
	Participant 2	44	15	11
	Participant 3	49	37	10
	Participant 4	18	4	11
	Participant 5	27	6	8
	Participant 6	28	4	10
	Participant 7	40	20	12
	Participant 8	30	10	10
	Participant 9	30	10	10
	Participant 10	42	21	11
	Participant 11	32	15	12
	Participant 12	26	8	12
	Participant 13	38	25	10
	Participant 14	50	30	11
	Participant 15	45	10	10
	Participant 16	51	15	8
	Participant 17	20	3	11
	Participant 18	37	10	10
	Participant 19	40	12	12
	Participant 20	29	6	10
Mean ± standard deviation		36.5 ± 10.4	13.75 ± 9.01	10.45 ± 1.14

Ear	Frequency	Group	Mean ± SD	p-value
Right	1 kHz	Control	24 ± 4.47	0.000
Right	1 kHz	Experimental	39 ± 5.02	0.000
Left	1 kHz	Control	17 ± 2.51	0.003
Left	1 kHz	Experimental	38 ± 5.40	0.003
Right	2 kHz	Control	24.75 ± 3.52	0.000
Right	2 kHz	Experimental	37.50 ± 5.05	0.000
Left	2 kHz	Control	20 ± 2.80	0.000
Left	2 kHz	Experimental	38 ± 4.02	0.000
Right	4 kHz	Control	25 ± 2.80	0.000
Right	4 kHz	Experimental	38.50 ± 4.38	0.000
Left	4 kHz	Control	23 ± 2.82	0.001
Left	4 kHz	Experimental	39 ± 4.65	0.001
Right	8 kHz	Control	26.25 ± 2.75	0.002
Right	8 kHz	Experimental	38.5 ± 5.22	0.002
Left	8 kHz	Control	26 ± 2.22	0.000
Left	8 kHz	Experimental	40 ± 4.09	0.000

Variables		Model coefficient
Dependent variables	Independent variables	Regression coefficient (B)	Standard error	Beta	p-value	R	R²
Threshold of the right ear at 8 KHz	Daily noise exposure	0.513	1.85	0.067	.005*
Threshold of the right ear at 8 KHz	Years of work in environments with low-frequency noise	0.41	0.23	0.042	0.03*	0.831	0.708
Threshold of the left ear at 8 KHz	Daily noise exposure	2.10	2.23	2.16	0.01*
Threshold of the left ear at 8 KHz	Years of work in environments with low-frequency noise	0.33	0.28	0.26	0.04*	0.832	0.801

Acoustic parameter	Groups	Mean ± SD	p-value
F₀ frequency	Control	138 ± 10	> 0.05
F₀ frequency	Experimental	122 ± 13	> 0.05
Jitter	Control	0.45 ± 0.38	> 0.05
Jitter	Experimental	0.72 ± 0.68	> 0.05
Shimmer	Control	3 ± 3	0.004
Shimmer	Experimental	9.6 ± 3.2	0.004
Harmonics-to-noise-ratio	Control	18 ± 5	0.002
Harmonics-to-noise-ratio	Experimental	12.33 ± 4	0.002

Variables		Model Coefficient
Dependent variable	Independent variables	Regression coefficient (B)	Standard error	Beta	P-value	R	R²
Harmonics-to-noise-ratio	Daily noise exposure	1.155	1.504	0.253	0.046*
Harmonics-to-noise-ratio	Years of work in environments with low-frequency noise	0.010	0.169	0.020	0.004*	0.775	0.766

Variables		Model coefficient
Dependent variables	Independent variables	Regression coefficient (B)	Standard error	Beta	p-value	R	R²
Anxiety level	Daily noise exposure	0.737	0.859	0.158	0.043*
Anxiety level	Years of work in environments with low-frequency noise	0.382	0.109	0.042	0.03*	0.651	0.424
Cardiac rate	Daily noise exposure	1.879	2.188	0.176	0.003*
Cardiac rate	Years of work in environments with low-frequency noise	0.679	0.278	0.499	0.026*	0.744	0.696

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[1] Address for correspondence Himanshu Verma, MSc, 1284, Sector-21B, Chandigarh-160022, Department of Otolaryngology, Speech & Hearing Unit, PGIMER, India (e-mail: himanshu.v.91@gmail.com).