Five-Year Longitudinal Cohort Study Determines the Critical Intervals for Periodic Audiometric Testing Based on 5070 Tests of Metallurgical Workers Exposed and Nonexposed to Noise.

Autor:	Silva VAR; Otolaryngology and Head Neck Surgery Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences - State University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil., Guimarães AC; Otolaryngology and Head Neck Surgery Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences - State University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil., Lavinsky J; Department of Surgery, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil., Pauna HF; Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil., Duarte ASM; Otolaryngology and Head Neck Surgery Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences - State University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil., Castilho AM; Otolaryngology and Head Neck Surgery Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences - State University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil., Chone CT; Otolaryngology and Head Neck Surgery Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences - State University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil., Crespo AN; Otolaryngology and Head Neck Surgery Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences - State University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Ear and hearing [Ear Hear] 2022 Jan/Feb; Vol. 43 (1), pp. 81-89.
DOI:	10.1097/AUD.0000000000001077
Abstrakt:	Objectives: To compare the progression of 3-, 4-, and 6-kHz thresholds (pure-tone average) over 5 years and determine the most critical period for occupational risk among workers exposed and nonexposed to noise. Design: Metallurgical workers were divided into 2 groups: noise-exposed and non-noise-exposed groups. The 6 initial audiometric tests of each worker were analyzed as baseline test and annual tests 1 to 5. Results: A total of 845 workers were included, 748 in the noise-exposed group and 97 in the non-noise-exposed group, resulting in 5070 tests analyzed. The nonexposed group showed no significant difference in the mean pure-tone averages between any of the annual tests in either ear. In the exposed group, a significant difference was observed in mean pure-tone averages between baseline and Test1 (p = 0.001 right ear; p = 0.001 left ear), between Test3 and Test4 (p = 0.002 right ear; p = 0.005 left ear), and between Test4 and Test5 (p = 0.003 right ear; p = 0.001 left ear). There was no difference between Test1 and Test2 or between Test2 and Test3 in either ear. Conclusions: The progression of pure-tone averages at 3, 4, and 6 kHz differed between workers exposed and nonexposed to noise. Noise-exposed workers had a significant progressive worsening of audiometric thresholds after 3 years of employment. This study identified, in an unprecedented way, two critical periods of noise exposure: in the first year and after the third year of employment in a noisy environment. Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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