Subclinical Auditory Dysfunction: Relationship Between Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions and the Audiogram

Purpose Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and audiometric thresholds have been used to account for the impacts of subclinical outer hair cell (OHC) dysfunction on auditory perception measures physiology. However, relationship between DPOAEs audiogram is unclear. This study investigated this by determining how well DPOAE levels can predict among individuals with clinically normal hearing. Additionally, age, noise exposure, tinnitus ability were evaluated. Method Suprathreshold from 1 10 kHz pure-tone 0.25 16 measured in 366 ears 194 young adults (19–35 years old) audiograms middle ear function. The at all frequencies each frequency. Participants grouped self-reported exposure/Veteran status, self-report tinnitus. Results Including threshold prediction model improved predictions compared a based only sample mean thresholds, but these improvements modest. f 2 4 5 particularly influential predicting above kHz. accuracy varied participant characteristics. On average, predicted better than Veterans, tinnitus, oldest age group. Conclusions These results indicate complex audiogram. Underestimation some groups suggests that additional factors other OHC damage may impact within categories. findings suggest differ terms they reflect dysfunction. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.13564745