Measuring resonance frequency of the middle ear in school-aged children: potential applications for detecting middle
Cerys Downing1, Joseph Kei1, Carlie Driscoll1
1Hearing Research Unit for Children, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Objective:
This study established a normative range of resonance frequency (RF) values as estimated using Wideband Tympanometry (WBT) and determined the ability of WBT-estimated RF to predict the presence of middle ear dysfunction in school-aged children.
Design:
Cross-sectional data were collected using a hearing screening test battery consisting of WBT, Pure Tone Screening (PTS), 226- kHz tympanometry, and ipsilateral Acoustic Stapedial Reflexes (ASR).
Study Sample:
About 1590 children aged 4-13 years.
Results:
RF significantly decreased from 4 to 13 years of age (4-6 years, 928.95 kHz; 7-9 years, 872.80 kHz; 10-13 years, 863.68 kHz). RF had area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AROC) values between 0.589 and 0.626 to predict ears that failed PTS or 226- kHz tympanometry. RF below 627 kHz accurately predicted the presence of a Type B tympanogram (AROC 0.945). RF had high test-retest reliability with Intra-Class Coefficient value of 0.817 and good agreement according to Bland-Altman plot analysis.
Conclusions:
WBT-estimated RF had fair diagnostic accuracy for predicting PTS and tympanometry results, but had excellent accuracy for predicting the presence of middle ear dysfunction, indicated by a Type B tympanogram. WBT-estimated RF does not require age-, gender-, ear- or ethnicity-specific normative data for clinical use with children.
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