Auditory temporal processing assessment in rural workers exposed to organophosphate pesticides Avaliação do processamento auditivo temporal em trabalhadores rurais expostos a agrotóxicos organofosforados

Purpose: To evaluate the auditory temporal processing in workers occupationally exposed to organophosphate pesticides. Methods: Cross-sectional study in which 43 rural workers of both genders with bilaterally normal auditory thresholds that were occupationally exposed to organophosphates were assessed. The procedures included the following items: questionnaire regarding personal and professional background, period of exposition to organophosphates, otoscopy, pure-tone audiometry. Auditory temporal processing was tested through: the Frequency Pattern Test, the Duration Pattern Test and the Gaps-In-Noise Test. Performance on the tests were analyzed, as well as differences between left and right ears on the Gaps-In-Noise Test, and education level in all tests. Results: In great part of the subjects, auditory temporal processing performance was below normal standards. There was no difference between ears on the Gaps-In-Noise Test (p=0.33). Additionally, no differences were found on any of the tests according to education level (Gaps-In-Noise: p=0.21 on the right ear, and p=0.053 on the left ear; Frequency Pattern Test: p=0.37; Duration Pattern Test: p=0.84). Conclusion: Temporal resolution and temporal order abilities were altered in individuals occupationally exposed to organophosphate pesticides, even when they showed normal peripheral auditory thresholds.