title: Diagnostic value of microtympanometry in primary care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the reliability, validity, and feasibility of a new hand held microtympanometer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Comparison of microtympanometry by two independent observations of a general practitioner and a nurse, and against a validated reference instrument.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary care health centre of a school for the deaf in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  111 schoolchildren receiving a regular check up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tympanometry with the Grason Stadler 28, classified with a slightly modified Jerger's classification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interobserver reliability was 0.95 (Cohen's kappa). Results of microtympanometry were highly comparable with results of the reference instrument (likelihood ratio of positive results, 161.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The microtympanometer could be used in general practice: it is hand held, child friendly, easy to handle, and accurate.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, University of Utrecht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: de Melker
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results