A Novel 3-Step Tuning Fork Hearing Test; Preliminary Report on Its Clinical Utility

It is pertinent to have a Tuning Fork Hearing Test that stand-alone can detect severities (Mild, Moderate, Severe and Profound) and the types of hearing losses (Conductive, Sensorineural, and Mixed). A novel 3-Step Tuning Fork Hearing Test (3-STFHT) was attempted for the first time that could detect both the types and the severities of hearing losses. The study was aimed to describe the method of the 3-STFHT and evaluate its clinical utility and reliability. Research Design: Hospital-based observational study of a diagnostic tool. Settings: Otorhinolaryngology Department of a tertiary care medical college hospital. Subjects: 108 adult patients (216 ears) who required hearing evaluation. Main Outcome measures: Sensitivity and specificity of novel 3-STFHT were assessed by comparing its results with the reports of pure tone audiometry in detecting the type and severity of hearing loss. The new 3-STFHT was found very effective (100% sensitivity and specificity) in detecting conductive and profound sensorineural hearing losses. The sensitivity in detecting sensorineural hearing loss was found 97%-100%. The sensitivity was observed relatively low (92%) at detecting mixed hearing loss. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the 3-STFHT in detecting the types of hearing losses was found 97% and 86% respectively. The novel 3-STFHT, which is simple and convenient, was found very effective in detecting the types and severity of hearing losses. The 3-STFHT can be an important tool in otorhinolaryngology practice and in primary care setting for detecting and screening the types and severities of hearing losses.