The influence of pressure compensation in the middle ear on the detection of distortion product otoacoustic emissions

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of pressure compensation in the middle ear on the size of the response of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) at frequencies from 1 to 6 kHz. The testing was performed on 150 patients, within three age groups (2­15; 16-40; 41-71 years of age). The pressure in the middle ear varied from negative to positive (-329 to 195 daPa). Increasing the pressure in the compensation for 1 daPa led to an increase in amplitude at frequencies of 1.0, 1.3 and 1.6 kHz to 0.02, 0.03 and 0.02 dB SPL (decibel of sound pressure level), and the noise level at frequencies from 1.0 to 2.0 kHz, causing an increase of 0.02 to 0.03 dB SPL. Compensatory treatment led to an increase in DPOAE response (amplitude and noise level). The largest amplitude was determined at frequencies lower than 2 kHz within the levels of both examined influences. Pressure compensation had a stimulating influence on the detectability of DPOAE, which increases the reliability of this method when testing the functionality of the middle ear.

Cilj ovog rada bio je utvrđivanje uticaja kompenzacije pritiska u srednjem uvu na veličinu odgovora distorzionih otoakustičkih emisija (DPOAE) na frekvencijama od 1 do 6 kHz. Ispitivanje je obavljeno na 150 pacijenata, unutar pola i tri starosne grupe (2-15; 16-40; 41-71 godine). Pritisak u srednjem uvu je varirao od negativnog do pozitivnog (-329 do 195 daPa). Povećanje pritiska pri kompenzaciji za 1 daPa dovelo je do povećanja amplituda pri frekvencijama od 1.0, 1.3 i 1.6 kHz za 0,02, 0,03 i 0,02 dB SPL (decibel nivoa zvučnog pritiska), a nivoa buke pri frekvencijama od 1.0 do 2.0 kHz, uslovljavajući povećanje od 0,02 do 0,03 dB SPL. Kompenzacioni tretman je doveo do povećanja odgovora DPOAE (amplitude i nivoa buke). Povećanje amplituda je bilo najveće na frekvencijama manjim od 2 kHz unutar nivoa oba ispitivana uticaja. Kompenzacija pritiska uticala je stimulativno na detektabilnost DPOAE, čime se povećava pouzdanost primene ove metode prilikom ispitivanja funkcionalnosti srednjeg uva.