Users of Remote Conferencing and Compression of Sound Dynamics : Auditory Effects

Recruiting

• Conditions: Auditory Perception
• Interventions: Other: Audiological profile; Other: Hearing self-assessments; Other: Objective and subjective audiological tests; Other: Self-assessment of exposure sound quality

• Registration Number: NCT06264245
• Lead Sponsor: Institut Pasteur

Brief Summary

The COMPRESSED project is a descriptive, bi-centric and non-invasive study carried out by the CERIAH - IDA - Institut Pasteur and the Haute École Léonard de Vinci in Brussels on volunteer participants identified in two groups :

* be subject to high exposure to compressed sound, as defined by professional participation in events on broadcast platforms using sound signal processing systems, over the last 3 years,

* be subject to moderate or limited exposure to compressed and manipulated sound, equivalent to that of a student following certain distance learning courses. on a videoconferencing platform, alternating with other face-to-face courses, with the ability to listen during breaks, which have been taught for a maximum of 2 years.

The main objective of the COMPRESSED study is to evaluate the auditory effects of exposure to manipulated sounds (compression, filtering, equalisation, accentuation, etc.) from sound distribution platforms on the auditory system of participants who are regularly exposed to these sounds as a result of their professional activity.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2024-01-29
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-02-08
• Study First Posted: 2024-02-16
• Study Start: 2024-06-01
• Status Verified: 2025-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-02-28
• Last Update Posted: 2025-03-03
• Primary Completion: 2026-01-15
• Study Completion: 2026-01-15

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 200

Inclusion Criteria

For all participants:

• Age 18 or over,
• Work with platforms using sound signal processing systems,
• Fluent in English,
• Fluent in French,
• Declare that they have no hearing loss.

For participants in the high exposure group:

• Have had a professional activity over the last three years using broadcasting platforms with sound signal processing systems,

For participants in the moderate or limited exposure group:

• Have worked between one semester and two years with platforms using sound signal processing systems.

Exclusion Criteria

• Conductive or mixed hearing loss, i.e. where the hearing loss affects both the outer and/or middle ear and the inner ear.
• Have an asymmetric hearing loss, i.e. a difference in average hearing loss between the left and right ear of more than 20 dB,
• Have a history of otitis and/or an ENT disease that permanently affects hearing (vestibular schwannoma, Ménière's disease, sudden or fluctuating deafness, congenital hypoacusis),
• Not fluent in English
• Be under guardianship,
• Deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision, or subject to legal protection.

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
High exposure to compressed sound	Audiological profile	-
Moderate or limited exposure to compressed sound	Hearing self-assessments	-
High exposure to compressed sound	Hearing self-assessments	-
High exposure to compressed sound	Objective and subjective audiological tests	-
High exposure to compressed sound	Self-assessment of exposure sound quality	-
Moderate or limited exposure to compressed sound	Audiological profile	-
Moderate or limited exposure to compressed sound	Objective and subjective audiological tests	-
Moderate or limited exposure to compressed sound	Self-assessment of exposure sound quality	-

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Hearing assessments of participants exposed to manipulated sounds after and before exposure	2 weeks	Measurement of the difference between the hearing assessments of participants exposed to manipulated sounds after and before exposure

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Effectiveness of the protective auditory reflexes (or acoustic reflexes), obtained by impedancemetry and derived from the reading of the otoemissions for each participant.	2 weeks	Measurement of the difference of the effectiveness of the protective auditory reflexes (or acoustic reflexes), obtained by impedancemetry and derived from the reading of the otoemissions for each participant.
Difference between the threshold of the protective reflex of the auditory pathways (middle ear muscles) measured by impedancemetry in the exposed ear when a contralateral noise is presented for a few seconds.	2 weeks	A contralateral noise is a low-pass filtered white noise with a cut-off at 3 kHz.
Levels of otoemissions in acoustic distortion products in the exposed ear in response to pure tone sound stimuli	2 weeks	Comparison of the levels of otoemissions in acoustic distortion products in the exposed ear in response to pure tone sound stimuli at 65 dB SPL around 1, 2, 3 and 4 kHz, before and approximately one hour after exposure.
Tinnitus or auditory distortion (hyperacusis) reported by participants before and after exposure.	2 weeks	Measurement of the difference in the perception of tinnitus or auditory distortion (hyperacusis) reported by participants before and after exposure.
Audiometric thresholds in pure tone from 125 to 8000 Hz in the subject's exposed ear before and approximately one hour after exposure,	2 weeks	Measurement of the difference between audiometric thresholds in pure tone from 125 to 8000 Hz in the subject's exposed ear before and approximately one hour after exposure,

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Haute Ecole Léonard De Vinci; 🇧🇪 Bruxelles, Belgium

CEntre de Recherche et d'Innovation en Audiologie Humaine; 🇫🇷 Paris, France