Hearing conditions of gas stations attendants/Condicao auditiva de frentistas

• Published in: Revista CEFAC Vol. 15; no. 3
• Main Authors: Tochetto, Tania Maria, Quevedo, Lenita da Silva, Siqueira, Marcia do Amaral
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: CEFAC - Associacao Institucional em Saude e Educacao 01.05.2013
• ISSN: 1516-1846; 1982-0216

Purpose: to evaluate the hearing threshold in the conventional frequencies and high frequencies, and the integrity of the acoustic reflex, in subjects exposed to fuels. Method: attendants of three gas stations were evaluated in Santa Maria/RS. After the adaptation to the inclusion criteria, the sample was composed of 24 subjects. It was used the Pure Tone Audiometry, high frequency audiometry and acoustic immitance assessment to evaluate the sample. The time of exposition ranged from one to seventeen years. The control group was composed by 24 not exposed subjects. Results: the average of the thresholds of the PTA and of the high frequency audiometry was superior in the study group in all the tested frequencies. A statistically significant difference of thresholds was verified on the frequencies of 0,5 (p=0,004), 2 (p=0,001), 3 kHz (p=0,025), and frequencies of 9 (p=0,007) e 10 kHz (p=0,026). In 16, 18, 20 kHz a greater absence of responses was observed in the study group (p>0, 05). Also it was observed a greater absence of acoustic reflexes (ipsilateral and contralateral) at the study group, on the right ear. On the left ear, there was no difference between the groups, for the occurrence of ipsilateral reflex. The absence of the contralateral reflex was superior in the study group on all frequencies tested. Conclusion: individuals exposed to fuels with normal hearing thresholds may have cochlear and central alterations. KEYWORDS: Solvents; Hearing; Hearing Loss, Central Objetivo: avaliar os limiares auditivos nas frequencias convencionais e altas frequencias, e ainda a integridade do arco reflexo, em frentistas. Metodo: foram avaliados frentistas de tres postos de gasolina da cidade de Santa Maria/RS. Apos adequacao aos criterios de inclusao, a amostra ficou composta por 24 frentistas expostos a combustiveis, 21 do genero masculino e tres do genero feminino, com faixa etaria entre 20 e 40 anos. Os exames utilizados foram audiometria tonal liminar, audiometria de altas frequencias e imitanciometria. O tempo de exposicao variou de um a 17 anos. O grupo controle foi composto por 24 sujeitos nao expostos a qualquer agente nocivo a audicao. Resultados: a media dos limiares da audiometria tonal liminar e da audiometria de altas frequencias foi superior no grupo estudo em todas as frequencias testadas. Verificou-se diferenca de limiar estatisticamente significante nas frequencias de 0,5 (p=0,004), 2 (p=0,001) e 3 kHz (p=0,025), e nas frequencias de 9 (p=0,007) e 10 kHz (p=0,026). Os limiares das frequencias de 12,5 e 14 kHz nao diferiram estatisticamente (p>0,05). Em 16, 18 e 20 kHz foi observada maior ausencia de respostas no grupo estudo (p>0,05). Tambem se observou maior ausencia de reflexos acusticos (ipsi e contralateral) no grupo estudo, na orelha direita. Na orelha esquerda, nao houve diferenca entre os grupos, para a ocorrencia do reflexo ipsilateral. A ausencia de reflexo contralateral foi maior no grupo estudo em todas as frequencias testadas. Conclusao: frentistas com limiares auditivos normais podem apresentar alteracoes cocleares e centrais. DESCRITORES: Solventes; Audicao; Perda Auditiva Central