Correlation of transiently evoked to distortion-product otoacoustic emission measures in healthy children.
OBJECTIVE
Transiently evoked (TEOAEs) and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions at the 2f1-f2 frequency (DPOAEs) are being used as a clinical tool for diagnosis of peripheral auditory pathology. Because both tests are fast and non-invasive, they may be an excellent method for hearing screening in infants and children. The purpose of this study was to compare the TEOAE and DPOAE measures obtained in a group of healthy children.


METHODS
Sixty-six school-aged children with normal hearing were included in the study. Subjects with recent otologic disease or abnormal tympanograms were excluded. TEOAEs and DPOAEs were performed using a DP Echoport ILO 292 Otodynamics analyzer connected to a portable personal computer. Correlation between TEOAE amplitudes and DPOAE levels was estimated.


RESULTS
Correlation between TEOAE amplitudes and DPOAE levels was highly significant across all measured frequencies. Correlation was more significant at the middle frequencies than at the low and high frequencies.


CONCLUSIONS
Although frequency specific information may be obtained by both tests, most reliable results were obtained at the middle frequencies. TEOAE values were more prominent at low frequencies, whereas DPOAEs were more effective at high frequencies. Both methods are reliable, objective, fast and useful tests of the cochlear status and should be included in the standard audiological diagnostic work-up of children.
ENT Department of Tzanion General Hospital, 11 Zani and Afentouli Street, GR-18536 Piraeus, Greece. balats@panafonet.gr
Dimitrios G
DG
Balatsouras
Antonis
A
Kaberos
Georgios
G
Kloutsos
Nicolas C
NC
Economou
Vasilis
V
Sakellariadis
Alexandros
A
Fassolis
Stavros G
SG
Korres
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012984:Software