Reference hearing thresholds in an extended frequency range as a function of age

The ISO 7029 (2000) standard defines normative hearing thresholds H (dB hearing level) as a function of age Y (years), given by H = α(Y - 18)(2), up to 8 kHz. The purpose of this study was to determine reference thresholds above 8 kHz. Hearing thresholds were examined using pure-tone audiometry over the extended frequency range 0.125-16 kHz, and the acquired values were used to specify the optimal approximation of the dependence of hearing thresholds on age. A sample of 411 otologically normal men and women 16-70 years of age was measured in both ears using a high-frequency audiometer and Sennheiser HDA 200 headphones. The coefficients of quadratic, linear, polynomial and power-law approximations were calculated using the least-squares fitting procedure. The approximation combining the square function H = α(Y - 18)(2) with a power-law function H = β(Y - 18)(1.5), both gender-independent, was found to be the most appropriate. Coefficient α was determined at frequencies of 9 kHz (α = 0.021), 10 kHz (α = 0.024), 11.2 kHz (α = 0.029), and coefficient β at frequencies of 12.5 kHz (β = 0.24), 14 kHz (β = 0.32), 16 kHz (β = 0.36). The results could be used to determine age-dependent normal hearing thresholds in an extended frequency range and to normalize hearing thresholds when comparing participants differing in age.