Validating the Hum Test

Validation of the Hum Test, a Simple and Reliable Alternative to the Weber Test

The sensitivity and specificity of the Hum Test is being investigated in it's ability to detect conductive hearing loss. The hum test is simply elicited by asking the subject to hum to him or herself for a few seconds at both a high and low pitch that is comfortable for the subject. The subject is then asked if the hum was heard on one side more than the other (left or right), or if the sound was equal on both sides. To simulate conductive hearing loss, ear plugs will be placed in one of the subject's ears. We will elicit the hum test as well as the standard Weber test and audiogram across two conditions, with an ear plug and without an ear plug. From this, it is hoped to assess how the Hum Test compares to the audiogram (gold standard) in detecting conductive hearing loss as well as how it compares to the standard Weber test. If the Hum Test demonstrates strong sensitivity and specificity in detecting conductive hearing loss, it could have application as being utilized as an alternative to the standard Weber test, or in a setting where a formal physical examination may not yet be possible but where the etiology of a patient's hearing change could be quickly assessed remotely and thus the urgency of intervention/ consultation could then be determined.

Study Overview

• Status: Withdrawn
• Conditions: Hearing Loss
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Hum Test; Procedure: Weber Test; Device: Audiogram

Detailed Description

It is presumed that the Hum Test works similarly to the Weber Test, where bone conduction of the skull is elicited to determine if a change in hearing is conductive or sensorineural in nature. Because the hum test is frequently employed in clinical practice yet its validation has yet to be demonstrated, investigation is warranted.

To examine and compare the Hum Test, Weber Test, and audiogram in their ability to detect and identify hearing loss, hearing loss will be simulated with the use of ear plugs (mimicking conductive hearing loss). Subjects will serve as their own control as these tests will be conducted with and without ear plugs.

Study data will be maintained using an online, password protected storage system. No identifiable information will be collected or stored (i.e. name, DOB, etc.). Limited demographic information will be collected for analysis purposes such as age and gender.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 14 years to 31 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18-35
• Subjective normal hearing and no previous complaints or history of hearing problems or otologic disorders
• Subjects will be NYU medical students, NYU resident physicians, or patients from the Long Island Cochlear Implant Center

Exclusion Criteria:

• Has not had a URI (assessed by asking patient if they have had fever, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, or runny nose) within one month of study session

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Other: Hum Test; To examine and compare the Hum Test, Weber Test, and audiogram in their ability to detect and identify hearing loss, hearing loss will be simulated with the use of ear plugs (mimicking conductive hearing loss). Subjects will serve as their own control as these tests will be conducted with and without ear plugs.

Procedure: Hum Test; The subject will be brought into an exam room. The subject will then be asked to hum for a few seconds in a low pitch. They will then be asked if the nose was heard more so in one ear compared to the other. The subject will then be asked to hum for a few seconds in a high pitch. They will then be asked again if the noise was heard more so in one ear compared to the other.; Procedure: Weber Test; Using a 512 Hz tuning fork, the tuning fork will be vibrated and placed on the subject's glabella (forehead landmark). The subject will then be asked if the vibration was heard more so in one ear compared to the other.; Device: Audiogram; A standard audiogram will be administered by an audiologist.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The correlation of the results between the Hum Test and the Audiogram	The Hum test will measure a subject's ability to hear a high pitch and a low pitch in each ear. The Audiogram will measure a subject's hearing threshold at various frequencies.	30 minutes
The correlation between the Hum Test and the Weber Test	The Weber Test will measure a subject's ability to hear vibrations in both ears.	30 Minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: NYU Langone Health
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Erich Voigt, MD, NYU Langone Health

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): May 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 5, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 11, 2016
• First Posted (Estimate): April 15, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 16, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 12, 2017
• Last Verified: October 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Hum Test, Weber test, audiogram
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases; Ear Diseases; Sensation Disorders; Hearing Disorders; Hearing Loss
• Other Study ID Numbers: 15-00102

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No