The efficiency of otoacoustic emissions and pure-tone audiometry in the detection of temporary auditory changes after exposure to high sound pressure levels.
Exposure to noise has a harmful effect on the auditory health of workers.


OBJECTIVE
The main goal of this paper was to establish the role of pure-tone audiometry and evoked transient otoacoustic emissions in the detection of small temporary auditory changes after exposure to high sound pressure levels.


METHODS
A cross-sectional cohort study.


METHODS
30 otologically normal subjects aged between 20 and 35 years were submitted to pure-tone audiometry and evoked transiente otoacoustic emissions before and after 5 hours of exposure to high sound pressure levels (between 80 and 90 dB).


RESULTS
For pure-tone audiometry the largest changes occurred at high frequencies--from 3 KHz to 8 KHz after exposure. The evoked transient otoacoustic emissions showed reduced reproductibility from 1 KHz to 4 KHz after exposure to noise.


CONCLUSIONS
We noted that both pure-tone audiometry and evoked transient otoacoustic emissions had a role in detecting statistically significant changes in the auditory threshold and in reproductibility, after exposure to high sound pressure levels.
Barros
Samanta Marissane da Silva
SM
Universidade Veiga de Almeida.
Frota
Silvana
S
Atherino
Ciríaco Cristovão Tavares
CC
Osterne
Francisco
F
D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001305:Auditory Fatigue; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009622:Noise; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity