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  • Title: Evaluation of cochlear function in patients with normal hearing and tinnitus: a distortion product otoacoustic emission study.
    Author: Satar B, Kapkin O, Ozkaptan Y.
    Journal: Kulak Burun Bogaz Ihtis Derg; 2003 May; 10(5):177-82. PubMed ID: 12970589.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVES: We investigated cochlear function in normal-hearing patients with tinnitus using distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 20 normal-hearing patients with tinnitus (13 males, 7 females; mean age 25 years; range 17 to 52 years) and 15 controls (10 males, 5 females; mean age 23 years; range 18 to 27 years) with normal hearing. Both groups underwent routine audiological tests including audiometry and tympanometry. Cubic DPOAEs were recorded from both groups. Signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) lower than the 10th percentile of the control values were regarded as abnormal or undetectable. RESULTS: Tinnitus was bilateral in seven patients and unilateral in 13 patients. Seven patients with unilateral tinnitus and all patients with bilateral tinnitus had a history of exposure to noise. The mean perceived frequencies for tinnitus were 6.3 kHz and 6.2 kHz in the left and right ears, respectively. Loudness was measured as 8 dB SL in the left ears, and 7 dB SL in the right ears. Compared to unilateral cases, patients with bilateral tinnitus exhibited a higher percentage of abnormal SNRs at most frequencies. Some asymptomatic ears in the patient group had abnormal results. CONCLUSION: These findings show that tinnitus in normal-hearing patients is often associated with varying degrees of cochlear dysfunction. The results also suggest that tinnitus may be regarded as an early manifestation of noise-induced hearing loss in patients with a history of exposure to noise.
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