Pure-tone audiometry of a 30-year-old man shows air-conduction thresholds of 30 dB HL at 500 Hz, 40 dB HL at 1000 Hz, and 50 dB HL at 2000 Hz. His speech recognition threshold should be expected to fall closest to:

• A 20 dB HL
• B 40 dB HL ✓
• C 60 dB HL
• D 80 dB HL

Explanation

The pure-tone average is calculated from thresholds at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz: here (30 plus 40 plus 50) divided by 3 equals 40 dB HL. In genuine hearing loss, the speech recognition threshold agrees with the pure-tone average within about 6 to 10 dB. Agreement between these two independent measures also serves as an internal check against non-organic hearing loss, where they typically diverge.

Reference: Dhingra, Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.