Tympanometric profiles for Chinese older adults

The current study aimed at obtaining and examining the normative tympanometric findings in the Chinese older adults (60 to 90 years). The tympanometric data was collected using the Interacoustics Titan IMP 440 clinical immittance meter. This included peak static acoustic admittance (Ytm); tympanometric peak pressure (TPP); tympanometric width (TW); and ear canal volume (ECV). 146 (228 ears) Chinese older adults with normal hearing or sensorineural hearing loss were included in the study. The mean and standard deviation of the tympanometric values include: Ytm 0.48±0.28mmho; TPP -5±11daPa; TW 74±27daPa; and ECV 1.06±0.29 cc. Factors such as ear, gender and age had a minimal effect on all the four-tympanometric parameters studied. Nevertheless, there were a few differences between the present study results and the previously published data. The study results warrant the need for population and age specific normative values for clinical use.