The significance of extended high-frequency audiometry in tinnitus patients with normal hearing as evaluated via conventional pure tone audiometry.

Objective: This study was designed to determine whether extended high-frequency audiometry was capable of better differentiating between participants with normal hearing who did or did not have subjective tinnitus.

Methods: A total of 96 study participants were enrolled: 36 patients with unilateral tinnitus, 28 patients with bilateral tinnitus and 32 volunteers as controls. All 96 participants exhibited normal audiometry findings and hearing thresholds. Extended high-frequency audiometry was used to evaluate these patients.

Results: There were differences between the extended high-frequency hearing thresholds of affected and unaffected ears in those with unilateral tinnitus, and in the 20-29-year-old bilateral tinnitus group, at 11.2, 12.5 and 14 kHz. Unilateral tinnitus subgroups had higher extended high-frequency hearing thresholds than those in control subjects, at all extended high frequencies.

Conclusions: Extended high-frequency audiometry can offer additional information regarding the hearing status of patients with tinnitus who exhibit normal pure tone thresholds when analysed via conventional hearing thresholds.