[Interobserver reliability of a portable tympanometer, the MicroTymp].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the interobserver reliability of tympanograms obtained with the MicroTymp, a portable tympanometer.


METHODS
Family medicine teaching unit in a tertiary care hospital.


METHODS
Thirty-three patients who presented to the ear, nose and throat clinic in August 1990 for an ear problem.


METHODS
Three residents in family medicine independently attempted to record with the MicroTymp one tympanogram for the 66 ears. We excluded the results for seven ears for which tympanograms could not be obtained.


METHODS
Using objective criteria, two family physicians and two residents in family medicine independently classified the 177 tympanograms into five categories (normal, possible effusion, possible perforation, possible tympano-ossicular dysfunction and unclassifiable). Reliability was estimated by means of the kappa (kappa) coefficient on 161 tympanograms from 59 ears for which the interpretation of the three tympanograms agreed.


RESULTS
The interpretation of the three tympanograms agreed for 34 of the 59 ears (0.58) (kappa = 0.52, 95% confidence limits 0.45 and 0.59). There was no significant difference in interobserver reliability between pairs of observers or between symptomatic and asymptomatic ears.


CONCLUSIONS
The interobserver reliability of the MicroTymp is moderate. The tympanograms obtained with the instrument should be interpreted in the context of the clinical findings.
Labrecque
M
M
Département de médecine familiale, Université Laval, Sainte-Foy, Qué.
Dostaler
L P
LP
Dumont
H
H
Huard
G
G
Laflamme
L
L
D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D011792:Quebec / Q000453:epidemiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity