title: Age and Gender Effects on Wideband Absorbance in Adults With Normal Outer and Middle Ear Function.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the effects of age and gender on wideband energy absorbance in adults with normal middle ear function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty young adults (14 men, 26 women, aged 20-38 years), 31 middle-aged adults (16 men, 15 women, aged 42-64 years), and 30 older adults (20 men, 10 women, aged 65-82 years) were assessed. Energy absorbance (EA) data were collected at 30 frequencies using a prototype commercial instrument developed by Interacoustics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that the young adult group had significantly lower EA (between 400 and 560 Hz) than the middle-aged group. However, the middle-aged group showed significantly lower EA (between 2240 and 5040 Hz) than the young adult group. In addition, the older adult group had significantly lower EA than the young adult group (between 2520 and 5040 Hz). No significant difference in EA was found at any frequency between middle-aged and older adults. Across age groups, gender differences were found with men having significantly higher EA values than women at lower frequencies, whereas women had significantly higher EA at higher frequencies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence of the influence of gender and age on EA in adults with normal outer and middle ear function. These findings support the importance of establishing age- and gender-specific EA norms for the adult population.
authors.forename: Rafidah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mazlan
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kei
authors.forename: Cheng Li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Ya
authors.forename: Wan Nur Hanim Mohd
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Yusof
authors.forename: Lokman
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saim
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D044466:Asian People; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004431:Ear, External / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013016:Sound; D055815:Young Adult