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Efficiency of Stenger test in confirming profound, unilateral pseudohypacusis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2017

A Durmaz ,
S Karahatay ,
B Satar ,
H Birkent  and
Y Hidir
A Durmaz*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey
S Karahatay
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey
B Satar
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey
H Birkent
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey
Y Hidir
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Abdullah Durmaz, Assistant Professor, Dept of ORL & HNS, GATA Etlik 06018, Ankara, Turkey. Fax: +90 (312) 3045700 E-mail: adurmaz@gata.edu.tr
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Abstract

Objective:

Conscious and deceptive exaggeration of hearing loss is termed pseudohypacusis. Even though the Stenger test has been used in the management of pseudohypacusis for almost a century, its sensitivity, specificity and predictive values for unilateral pseudohypacusis have not previously been reported, to our best knowledge. We investigated the efficiency of the Stenger test in detecting unilateral pseudohypacusis, accepting auditory brainstem response testing as the ‘gold standard’.

Materials and methods:

Candidates with questionable profound or total hearing loss were enrolled in the study. Pure tone audiometry, speech and tonal Stenger tests, and click test auditory brainstem response measurement were performed. Accepting auditory brainstem response testing as the gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of the Stenger test for unilateral, profound pseudohypacusis were assessed.

Results:

Two hundred military candidates were enrolled in the study. The sensitivity and specificity of the Stenger test in verifying unilateral, profound hearing loss were 99.4 and 70 per cent, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values of the test were 87.5 and 98.4 per cent, respectively.

Conclusion:

The Stenger test is widely used for the evaluation of unilateral or asymmetrical pseudohypacusis. In our opinion, it is a powerfully reliable test. More difficult cases require objective electrophysiological testing to verify functional hearing loss and to exclude specific diagnoses that may imitate pseudohypacusis.

Keywords

Sensorineural DeafnessPure Tone AudiometryAuditory Brain Stem Response
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 123 , Issue 8 , August 2009 , pp. 840 - 844
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2009

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