Assessment of the Speech Intelligibility Performance of Post Lingual Cochlear Implant Users at Different Signal-to-Noise Ratios Using the Turkish Matrix Test

Background: Spoken word recognition and speech perception tests in quiet are being used as a routine in assessment of the benefit which children and adult cochlear implant users receive from their devices. Cochlear implant users generally demonstrate high level performances in these test materials as they are able to achieve high level speech perception ability in quiet situations. Although these test materials provide valuable information regarding Cochlear Implant (CI) users' performances in optimal listening conditions, they do not give realistic information regarding per-formances in adverse listening conditions, which is the case in the everyday environment.Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the speech intelligibility performance of post lingual CI users in the presence of noise at different signal-to-noise ratio with the Matrix Test developed for Turkish language.Study Design: Cross-sectional study.Methods: The thirty post lingual implant user adult subjects, who had been using implants for a minimum of one year, were evaluated with Turkish Matrix test. Subjects' speech intelligibility was measured using the adaptive and non-adaptive Matrix Test in quiet and noisy environments.Results: The results of the study show a correlation between Pure Tone Average (PTA) values of the subjects and Matrix test Speech Reception Thresh-old (SRT) values in the quiet. Hence, it is possible to asses PTA values of CI users using the Matrix Test also. However, no correlations were found be-tween Matrix SRT values in the quiet and Matrix SRT values in noise. Similarly, the correlation be-tween PTA values and intelligibility scores in noise was also not significant. Therefore, it may not be possible to assess the intelligibility performance of CI users using test batteries performed in quiet conditions.Conclusion: The Matrix Test can be used to assess the benefit of CI users from their systems in every-day life, since it is possible to perform intelligibility test with the Matrix test using a material that CI us-ers experience in their everyday life and it is possible to assess their difficulty in speech discrimination in noisy conditions they have to cope with

Investigation of Toxoplasma gondii Seroprevalence in Preeclampsic Pregnant

Objective: Toxoplasma gondii is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis and is a parasite of high medical importance with a wide host variety. Bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections during pregnancy may predispose women to pregnancy complications. Preeclampsia of unknown etiology causes special conditions such as systemic vascular endothelial damage due to insufficient trophoblastic invasion and abnormal placentation. There are data of an association between various maternal infections and preeclampsia/eclampsias. The aim of the study was to compare and analyze the relationship between the presence of anti-Toxoplasma IgM and anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and in normotensive healthy pregnant women who were in the control group. Methods: In this study, 176 pregnant women who applied to our hospital between January 2019 and December 2020 were included. 88 (50%) of the pregnant women had pre-eclampsia and 88 (50%) were normotensive. The presence of anti-Toxoplasma IgM and IgG antibodies in blood taken from pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and control group was investigated using ELISA. Results: Because of the study, both groups were found to be seronegative in terms of anti-Toxoplasma IgM by ELISA. Anti-Toxoplasma IgG was found to be seropositive in 24 (27.3%) pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and 18 (20.5%) normotensive pregnant women. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of anti-Toxoplasma IgM and anti-Toxoplasma IgG seropositivity (X2=0.289, p>0.05) (p<0.05). Conclusion: Because of the study, no statistically significant difference was found between pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and those with toxoplasmosis. It was thought that further studies should be conducted to discuss the hormonal, vascular, etc. factors occurring in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia of T. gondii effect of preparing the ground for the changes and to reveal the existence of a possible relationship between pre-eclampsia and T. gondii seropositivity

Direct Health Expenditure Analysis Related to Hearing Loss in Individuals Using Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants

Objective:This study aimed to investigate the expenditures related to hearing devices and compare the differences in expenditures in child and adult users.Methods:A preliminary questionnaire was developed and conducted amongst hearing aid and cochlear implant users. A total of 178 patients (57.3% were hearing aid users, 42.7% were cochlear implant users) were included in the study and grouped as adults (first group, 50 patients), and children 1< (second group, 123 patients).Results:The results of the study showed that individuals used approximately 4.5% of their annual income as health expenditure related to hearing loss. This rate was over 5% for child users, and about 2.7% for adult users. Moreover, the expenditure made by adult users was below the amount of expenditure made for children in all health expenditure indicators.Conclusion:Supporting the family budget for hearing loss expenditures not covered by the public health insurance will minimize the financial problems caused by the disability