title: Evoked otoacoustic emissions in the study of adult sensorineural hearing loss.
abstract: In the present report the applicability of evoked otoacoustic emissions (EOAEs) in the clinical field for studying adult sensorineural hearing loss is discussed. Three topics are considered: (1) EOAEs replacing a testing procedure, (2) EOAEs integrating into the test battery thus validating the diagnostic outcome, (3) EOAEs implementing new diagnostic possibilities. The authors conclude that: (a) EOAEs could only be applied to replace pure-tone audiometry for assessing functional deafness, (b) EOAEs are a useful diagnostic tool complementing the audiological test battery, (c) EOAEs are a unique method that studies the efferent auditory pathways. It is suggested that EOAEs should be applied as a routine audiological test for adult sensorineural hearing loss not only in cases with a well-defined diagnostic profile, but also in those cases with a less clear diagnostic pattern, in order to collect more data and possibly gain better knowledge about the pathophysiology of the inner ear.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fabiani
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001306:Auditory Pathways; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003051:Cochlea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000503:physiopathology; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects