Abstract

Objective. This research aims to validate the digits-in-noise (DIN) test for the Italian language and develop a version capable of independently assessing both ears while maintaining acceptable administration times.
Methods. Individual digits from 0 to 9 in Italian were recorded and adjusted to equalise recognition probabilities. An iOS application (APP) was developed for the independent ear test using triplets in noise. The application incorporates a new proprietary adaptive procedure developed by Amplifon to minimise the number of steps required to determine the Speech Reception Threshold (SRT). Thirty-nine subjects were recruited for equalisation of digits, 45 normal-hearing and 62 with various degrees of hearing loss for normative-data assessment.
Results. The results demonstrate the ability to determine a threshold value for normal hearing consistent with the existing literature and identify threshold values corresponding to the main World Health Organization hearing loss categories.
Conclusions. A DIN test for the Italian language has been developed and validated to evaluate the SRT of each ear individually. The adaptive algorithm optimises the necessary steps while maintaining acceptable test duration for both ears. Users can autonomously conduct the test using a standard personal iOS device (tablet or smartphone).

Downloads

PDF
Authors

Pasquale Viola - Unit of Audiology, Regional Centre of Cochlear Implants and ENT Diseases, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2352-1146

Alessia Astorina - Unit of Audiology, Regional Centre of Cochlear Implants and ENT Diseases, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7420-3845

Antonio Mancuso - Department of Informatics “Giovanni Degli Antoni”, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. Corresponding author - antonio.mancuso.it@gmail.com

Giorgio Presti - Department of Informatics “Giovanni Degli Antoni”, University of Milan, Milan, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7643-9915

Alfonso Scarpa - Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9219-6175

Carlo Baruffini - Amplifon S.p.A.

Giuseppe Chiarella - Unit of Audiology, Regional Centre of Cochlear Implants and ENT Diseases, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9829-2229

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Copyright

Copyright (c) 2024 Società Italiana di Otorinolaringoiatria e chirurgia cervico facciale

How to Cite
Viola, P., Astorina, A., Mancuso, A., Presti, G., Scarpa, A., Baruffini, C., & Chiarella, G. (2024). Development and validation of the Italian digit-innoise test. ACTA Otorhinolaryngologica Italica, 44(6), 392–399. https://doi.org/10.14639/0392-100X-N3064
  • Abstract viewed - 47 times
  • PDF downloaded - 20 times