[Normative values of middle ear resonance frequency in normal hearing adults].

OBJECTIVES This study aims to determine the normative values of middle ear resonance frequency in healthy adults. PATIENTS AND METHODS Sixty adult volunteers (32 females, 28 males; mean age 31.8±7.1 years; range 21 to 46 years) with normal otoscopic examination, audiometry and electroacoustic immitancemetry findings were enrolled in the study. The middle ear resonance frequencies were calculated by multifrequency tympanometry. RESULTS The mean resonance frequency for all volunteers was 999.6±134.9 Hz. The mean resonance frequency was 1020.8±140.6 Hz for the right ear, and 978.3±180.5 Hz for the left ear. The mean resonance frequencies for the right- and left-side were 1023.2±146.9 Hz and 912.5±177.8 Hz in males, and 1018.8±137.2 Hz and 1035.9±164.7 Hz in females, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean resonance frequency of the right ears between the males and females (p=0.9), whereas the mean resonance frequency of the left ears was statistically significantly higher in females (p=0.007). CONCLUSION The middle ear resonance frequency values may vary according to the side of the ear or gender.