Calibrated Finger Rub Auditory Screening Test (CALFRAST)

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bohne BA ; Harding GW ; Landau WM ; Sinatra PM ; Sun K ; Torres-Russotto D
• Description:
  Background: Determination of auditory function is a fundamental part of a complete neurologic examination. Disability from permanent hearing loss is common in the general population. Current bedside auditory tests are unreliable and cumbersome. We evaluated the calibrated finger rub auditory screening test (CALFRAST) as a routine diagnostic tool. Methods: The sound spectrum and mean peak intensities of standard finger rub were measured, as well as background noise. CALFRAST overlapped the frequency spectrum of normal speech. Patients and companions were recruited from a neurology clinic. With arms extended, two stimulus intensities were presented: strong finger rub (CALFRAST-Strong 70) and the faintest rub that the examiner could hear (CALFRAST-Faint 70). With subjects' eyes closed, each ear's CALFRAST threshold was ascertained and then compared with its audiometric measure. The normal threshold was considered to be 25 dB. Validity, reliability, and discrimination abilities were obtained using standard methods. Results: Two hundred twenty-one subjects (442 ears; 58% women) were examined. Ages ranged from 18 to 88 years, with a mean of 46 years. Eighty-five subjects (39%) had some degree of hearing loss. Both specificity and positive predictive value of CALFRAST-Strong 70 were 100%. Both sensitivity and negative predictive value of CALFRAST-Faint 70 were 99%, with a negative likelihood ratio <0.1. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.94, consistent with excellent discrimination ability. Both intrarater and interrater reliability were excellent, both k >0.8. Subjects' self-assessment of hearing was unreliable. Conclusion: The calibrated finger rub auditory screening test (CALFRAST) is simple, accurate, inexpensive, and reliable. As a routine screening tool, CALFRAST may contribute to more efficient identification of auditory impairment. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Diagnosis Hearing Loss Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced Noise Noise, Occupational Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Auditory System Clinical Tests Diagnostic Techniques Hearing Loss Screening Methods Sound
• ISSN:
  0340-5354
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Missouri ; OSHA Region 7
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  72
• Issue:
  18
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20055523
• Citation:
  J Neurol 2009 May; 72(18):1595-1600
• Contact Point Address:
  Dr. Diego Torres-Russotto, Department of Neurological Sciences - Movement Disorders Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 982045 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-2045
• Email:
  drtorres@unmc.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2009
• NORA Priority Area:
  Manufacturing ; Wholesale and Retail Trade
• Performing Organization:
  Washington University, St. Louis
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20000401
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Neurology
• End Date:
  20130914
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b2eef884ae1896c91a7cb3ea32df0626f91433c539608855253d3d5955a6a6e8eb0fd704e75786c4e780fc6660021d23fca31f92c7bac487814bed5d8aee02f3
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/213358/cdc_213358_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 397.54 KB ]