• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.845-850
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• 2006

Purpose : To assess the incidence of neonatal hearing loss in a neonatal intensive care unit and the relative importance of risk factors for hearing imparement in a neonatal intensive care unit which the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing(JCIH) had recommended. Methods : One thousand, two hundred and one newborns admitted to the Good Moonhwa Intensive Care Unit from May 2003 to December 2005 were assesed using the automated auditory brainstem response(AABR). The screening was performed on those aged more than 36 weeks and weighing more than 2,200 g. We divided the infants into two groups, 'pass' and 'refer'. The 'refer' group were retested one month later, and if classified as 'refer' during the retest, were referred to a hearing impairment clinic. Results : From the 1,201 neonates, 1,187(98.8 percent) passed the test and 14(1.2 percent) failed. 293(24.4 percent) of the 1,201 neonates had a risk factor for hearing impairment; 282(96.2 percent) passed the test and 11(3.8 percent) failed. The group with risk factors were shown to have a higher incidence of hearing loss(P<0.001). The neonates in the refer group were shown to have a higher incidence of ototoxic drugs(P<0.001), low birth weight(<1,500 g)(P<0.001) and craniofacial anomalies(P=0.007). On the other hand, there were no statistical differences between the pass and refer groups in congenital infection, hyperbilirubinemia, bacterial meningitis, low Apgar scores, prolonged mechanical ventilation and syndromes known to include hearing loss. Conclusion : In order to identify hearing-impaired infants within an appropriate period, neonatal hearing screening tests and identification of the risk factors for neonatal hearing loss are important.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1976.06a
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• pp.85.1-85
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• 1976

Audiological evaluation was performed for 184 female weavers (351 ears), who were 18~25 years old and have been working under exposure of 103~105 ㏈a of machinary noise. With the duration of employment, they were divided into five groups; under 1 year, 1~2 years, 2~3 years, 3~4 years and over 4 years. The following results were obtained: 1. The incidence ;of noise induced hearing loss was 39.7% (36.2% of ears) and rapidly increased during first 1~2 years. 2. The average maximum hearing loss on the pure tone audiograms appeared at 4,000Hz with .about 40 ㏈ of hearing level. The average hearing level at high frequencies(3,000Hz~8,000Hz) showed below 25㏈ of hearing level in all groups and had the tendency to increase slightly with the duration of working, but the most of hearing losses developed during first one year except at 8,000Hz. 3. The average hearing level at speech frequencies was within normal range but the cases of hearing level over 25 ㏈ at 2,000Hz was 27.1%. 4. The cases with maximum hearing loss at 4,000Hz were 72.7%, but the cases of maximum hearing loss at the other frequencies (3,000Hz, 6,000Hz .and 8,000Hz) were also observed and they increased slightly in numbers with the duration of working. The noise induced hearing loss under the exposure of 103~105㏈a for 5 years, seemed to develope during first 1~2 years and there after slightly .increased hearing loss was showed but no remarkable changes were observed.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.38-45
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• 2012

If an infant with congenital hearing loss is diagnosed in good time and get proper treatment as soon as possible, treatment effect could be maximized and the social costs could be considerably reduced. For these reasons, the medical equipment to screen hearing impairment objectively is needed. The ABR(auditory brainstem response) is typical diagnostic tools for this purpose but there are drawbacks in sense that it does not have frequency specificity and shows hearing information of usually high frequency band. The ASSR(auditory steady-state response) is excellent in frequency specificity, but the rate of wrong diagnosis is slightly high. In this study, we proposed the system which can measure both the ABR and the ASSR, and can show the objective and quantitative indices(Fsp and F-test). It was designed to allow various tests without hardware modification by minimizing hardware components and by increasing software roles. The objective assessment of the developed system was evaluated by experiments with 10 normal persons.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.158-162
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• 2010

Purpose : Turner syndrome (TS) is a disorder in which various anomalies can be accompanied, especially cardiovascular, renal, thyroid and auditory problems. The aim of this study is to identify the incidence of these disorders in patients with TS according to karyotype. Methods : We reviewed medical records of 90 patients with TS diagnosed by chromosomal analysis in 4 hospitals from Jan 1998 to Dec 2007. We evaluated these cases by prepared protocol of 4 medical problems.Results : The distribution of karyotype was 45,X (47.8%), mosaic pattern (34.4%) and structural aberration group (17.8%). Renal anomalies, cardiovascular anomalies, thyroid disorders and auditory problems are accompanied in 4.4%, 10.0 %, 11.1% and 5.6%, respectively. 45,X group had renal anomalies (7.0%), cardiovascular anomalies (18.6%), thyroid disorders (9.3%) and auditory problems (11.6%). Mosaic group had renal anomalies (3.2%), thyroid disorders (12.9%), no cardiovascular anomalies and auditory problems. Structural aberration group had cardiovascular anomalies (6.3%), thyroid disorders (12.5%) and no other 2 problems. Patients with 45,X group had a significant higher incidence of cardiovascular anomalies (P =0.025). Conclusion : Our results indicate that there are differences clinically according to karyotype of TS, especially in incidence of cardiovascular anomalies.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.137-146
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• 2003

Objectives : Impaired hearing is a prevalent occupational hazard, not only in industry, but also in the armed forces. In military life, noise has unusual characteristics, and constitutes a serious hazard to hearing. The aim of this study was to analyze the hearing threshold data in order to compare the hearing loss among shipyard workers, representing different workers, and a military service background. Methods : A cross-sectional audiological survey, combined with a questionnaire study, was conducted on a stratified random sample of 440 shipyard workers, with long-term exposure to noise. The employees were divided into four groups, according to their working and military service backgrounds, in relation to their exposure to noise. Results : As expected, the working and military noise exposure group (Group I) had significantly poorer hearing than the other groups. The high frequencies (2-8 kHz) showed the greatest difference in terms of poorer fearing in both ears. The prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) was highest in Group I. A logistic regression analysis was applied to determine the dependence of the NIHL in relation to age, smoking, drinking, working duration, ear protection, past history of ear diseases, and working and military sonics backgrounds, on the noise exposure The important factors found to be related to the NIHL, in relation to noise exposure were: age, work duration, and working and military service backgrounds. The adjusted odds ratio estimates for NIML in the right ear were 4.5 times greater (95% CI 1.7-11.6) for the military noise exposed group, and 7.9 times greater (95% CI 2.0-31.3) for the working noise exposed group than in the controls. The hearing thresholds at the pure-tone average and 4 kHz were significantly increased with age and work duration with both the working and military service backgrounds. Conclusions : From these results, specific preventive programs were planned, which should be assessed by epidemiological surveillance of the military noise exposed population.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1981.05a
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• pp.37.1-37
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• 1981

Even through the methods of improving hearing are widely practiced in Korea, with its 30 years of history, there are many different opinions regarding the selection of surgical technique and the materials to be used in tympanoplasty. Also there are varying standards of postoperative evaluations. Therefore, we have done research to evaluate hearing improvement which in one of the objective of the middle ear surgery. The research was conducted for one year, January to December 1980. This research compared the level of hearing improvement after tympanoplasty, according to materials used in tympanoplasty and collumelization. Following are the data we have obtained; 1) Total number of cases we have reviewed were 306. Out of this, 35% of the cases were tympanoplasty type 1, 12.7% of the cases were collumelization with mastoidectomy, and 11.9% of the cases received collumelization without mastoidectomy. 2) We have conducted audiometry on 41.1% of the tympanoplasty type 1, 64.1% of the collumelization with mastoidectomy, and 45.7% of the collumelization without mastoidectomy. 3) We have observed above 11 dB hearing improvement in 70% of the tympanoplasty type 1, 36% of the collumelization with mastoidectomy, and 44% of the collumelization without mastoidectomy. 4) Over 11 dB decrease of air-bone gap in 61% of the tympanoplasty type 1,32% of the collumelization with mastoidectomy, and 63% of the collumelization without mastoidectomy. 5) If we look at the hearing improvement according to the materials used in the tympanoplasty, there was above 11 dB improvement of the air conduction in 63% with cartilage and 54% with fascia. In air-bone gap, 56% with cartilage and 52% with fascia. 6) If we look at the hearing improvement according to the materials used in the collumelization, there was above 11 dB improvement in 50% with cartilage, 14% with homograft, 55% with autograft. In air-bone gap, 56%, 21%, and 55% respectively.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.30-39
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• 1999

Objectives. This study was carried out to evaluate hearing impairment judgement and to investigate the differences in various diagnostic criteria for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among workers who required for close observation (C). Methods. Out of 731,029 workers who had taken the specific periodic health examination in 1994, we used the audiometric data on 37,999 workers (C) eliminating the employees who had previous otologic problems. Many investigators have being using different criteria for the evaluation of hearing impairment. In this study, we used the criteria of early (1989-1994), current, compensation for NIHL in Korea, 2-, 3-, 4-divided classification and hearing loss at 4,000 Hz and compared the evaluation results. Results. The prevalences of C and workers who had occupational disease $(D_1)$ diagnosed for NIHL were 11.1 % and 0.44 %. There were significant difference in the prevalences of C and $D_1$, depending on different province of Korea. Pure tone averages (PTAs) were not appropriately applied in their evaluation 97% of workers whom we studied on were below the level of mild hearing loss judged by ISO standard. However, there were wide variations in the prevalence rate of mild hearing loss by diagnostic criteria. Thus, there were different judgements in determining the degree of NIHL depending on which diagnostic criteria were utilized. PTAs were found 20.54 (Rt) and 20.74 (Lt) when the method of 3-divided classification was applied for audiometric data. The degree of hearing impairment of the left ear was more severe than that of right ear. The prevalence of normal hearing threshold below 20 dB was 75.4% and the range of difference in both ear was below 10 dB. Right sided hearing threshold levels were 21.08 dB (500 Hz), 18.44 dB (1,000 Hz), 22.09 (2,000 Hz) and 52.36 dB (4,000 Hz). There was typical high frequency loss (C5-dip at 4,000 Hz) above 30 - 40 dB in normal hearing level. The increasing trend in hearing threshold level was gradually decreased by the increase of PTAs. The difference between PTAs and threshold at 4,000 Hz was about 10 dB. Conclusions. We could found that PTAs in the previous examination were not appropriately evaluated. This study revealed that they did not use unique criteria for managing the workers of NIHL. For the prevention of NIHL, it was found that the quality control on diagnosis and comprehensive management program were required, especially for those of hearing loss (C).

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.10
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• pp.1056-1060
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• 2006

Purpose : As hearing ability affects language and cognitive development, early detection and intervention of congenital hearing defects is very important. We analyzed the result of newborn hearing screening using automated auditory brainstem response and estimated the incidence of congenital hearing defects in newborn infants in Korea. Methods : Hearing screening tests were done on 7,218 newborn infants who were delivered at Cheil General Hospital from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. The first screening test was done on the second day of life with automated auditory brainstem response(AABR) using $ALGO{\bigcirc}^{(3)}$ Newborn hearing screener($Natus^{(R)}$ Medical Incorporated, San Carlos, USA) with 35 dB sound level. The newborn infants who did not pass the initial screening test took the second screening AABR test before discharge from the nursery. Infants who did not pass these screenings at the nursery were followed up at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Samsung Seoul Hospital. Results : Total 7,218 infants(83.3 percent of total 8,664 live births of the Cheil General Hospital) were screened in the nursery, and 55 of them failed to pass the newborn screening. Among 55 infants who were referred, six were lost during follow-up, and 14 were confirmed as hearing impaired. Six of them(42.8 percent) do not have any risk factors for hearing impairment. We can estimate that the incidence of hearing defects is about 1.9-2.8 per 1,000 live births. Conclusion : Automated auditory brainstem response is an effective tool to screen the hearing of newborn infants. Congenital hearing loss is more frequent than metabolic diseases on which screening tests are available in the newborn period. About 40 percent of infants who have hearing defects do not have any risk factors for hearing impairment. Therefore, universal newborn hearing screening must be recommended to all neonates.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.423-429
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• 2013

The present study aimed to find the most sensitive placement of the skull to perceive speech through the bone vibrator in various protection methods while being exposed to noise. Twenty young normal-hearing adults (10 male and 10 female) participated in the study. As stimulus, Korean spondee words were presented via one of five skull locations (i.e., jaw angle, condyle, temple, mastoid, and vertex), while the participants wore one of four protection methods (i.e., ear form, ear plug, ear muff, and ear form and muff together) against white noise in one of four noise directions (i.e., 0, 90, 180, 270 degrees). The results showed: 1) there was a significant difference among the five skull locations with condyle being the most sensitive placement; 2) there was a significant difference among the four protection methods, with the ear form plus ear muff condition (or dual protection) providing the lowest threshold; 3) when exposed to noise from 90 degrees, the significantly lowest threshold was found; 4) there was no significant difference in results by gender. The pattern of results suggests that the communicative condition via the condyle bone conduction and the dual protection of the air conduction under any noise direction might be ideal for preventing noise-induced hearing loss, although further studies should be undertaken in this area.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.115-123
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• 1972

As a link of chain study program of school health, a survey was made up by the screening test with audiometry for hearing disturbance on 18,675 high school students who are mainly aged in 15-19 years from November 5.1969 to October 30. 1970. The results obtained were summerized as follows. According to our criteria as table 3, the rates of the profound, the severe and the moderate who required the appropriate hearing aids were 0.02%, 0.03% and 0.14% respectively:-the cumulative percentage was 0.197. When the marginal, 0.23% should be included the cumulative rate was 0.41%. But there was no-significance by sex and school classes. If we will make the special classes for them one class would be estimated out of 10,000 persons when a class is formed with about 15 persons. Otherwise when we examined that according to each ear of persons, the rates of the profound, the severe and the moderate were 0.17%, 0.22% and 0.33% respectively and their cumulative percentage wag 0.72. There was no significance also by sex and age. By the way, the rate of hearing disturbance in urban high school students tended to lower than rural. And the perceptive disturbance was higher than rural in rate. The conductive disturbance tended to oppose in comparison with the above.