Distortion product otoacoustic emissions in tinnitus patients.
Tinnitus is a symptom that affects a great number of patients. Its diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up are difficult, owing to its subjectivity. The authors propose the use of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in tinnitus evaluation. They studied three groups: controls, having no complaint of tinnitus and normal hearing; group 1, presenting tinnitus and normal audiometry; and group 2, presenting tinnitus and sensorineural hearing loss. The results showed 3.6% of DPOAE alterations in the control group, 18.8% in group 1, and 61.3% in group 2. This study shows a correlation between DPOAE alterations and tinnitus complaint, but many patients with tinnitus do not present with DPOAE alterations. The authors conclude that DPOAEs constitute a useful audiological method for evaluating patients complaining of tinnitus.
Onishi
Ektor Tsuneo
ET
Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brazil. onishi.otor@epm.br
Fukuda
Yotaka
Y
Suzuki
Fabio Akira
FA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001302:Audiometry, Speech; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology*; D010808:Physical Examination; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology