PURPOSE: to comparatively study the amplitudes of otoacoustic emission distortion product in normal hearing with mild and moderate sensorineural hearing loss. METHODS: forty-one adults, 25 female and 16 male ranging from 18 to 25 years old took part in the study. Pure tone and speech audiometry were performed in order to separate the groups, according to their audiometric profile, impedance audiometries were performed in order to evaluate the middle ear conditions and distortion product otoacoustic emission were using T1 (L1 = 65dBSPL and L2 = 55dBNSPL) and T2 (L1=L2=7-dBSPL) protocols. Sixty-three ears were examined (32 right ear and 31 left ear). Selected subjects were distributed into three groups: G1 including 21 subjects with normal pure tone and speech audiometry (control group), G2 including 21 subjects with mild sensorineural hearing losses and G3 including 21 subjects with moderate sensorineural hearing impaired. The results of pure tone and speech audiometry were compared with the results of DPOAE. RESULTS: there is evidence of reduced amplitude or absence of response in the group with mild hearing loss (G2) and absence of response in the group with moderate hearing loss (G3). CONCLUSION: these findings suggest that the amplitudes of DPOAE decreased in agreement with the increase hearing loss level.
Hearing Loss; Amplitude; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous
