title: Repeatability of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions in young adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the repeatability and variability of TEOAE characteristics in hearing screening tests performed under practical conditions on normal subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 11 young, normal-hearing subjects aged 19-24 years was tested. They were examined otologically and audiologically prior to the tests and no ear pathologies were found. Responses were acquired with a commercially available instrument (Integrity, Vivosonic Inc.) using a standardized OAE protocol. The TEOAE tests were repeated 3 times in each subject at random intervals within 24 h. The analyzed parameters of interest were: (i) whole wave reproducibility (WWR) and; (ii) signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  WWR and SNR did not differ significantly among the 3 measurement sessions. In most cases the differences in WWR among measurements were around 1-2% and for SNRs they were 1-4 dB SNRs and were highest in the 1-2 kHz range. TEOAE-based tests can be useful tools for hearing screening.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The tests can give reliable results provided that adequate procedures are used and low-noise conditions are ensured. The tests are best complemented with other examinations to widen the range of ear pathologies able to be detected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Audiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kochanek
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Audiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Lech K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Śliwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Logopedics and Applied Linguistics, Marie-Curie University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Klaudia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Puchacz
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Audiology, Institute of Physiology and Pathology of Hearing, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piłka
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests / Q000592:standards; D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry / Q000379:methods; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D055815:Young Adult