Effects of Forward- and Emitted-Pressure Calibrations on the Variability of Otoacoustic Emission Measurements Across Repeated Probe Fits.
Tom Maxim, Christopher A Shera, Karolina K Charaziak and 1 others
PMID 30882535WHAT IT FOUND
Advanced calibration improved the repeatability of distortion product otoacoustic emissions within the same person, but did not reduce the natural spread of results between different people.
The benefit was small because the study used a single tester and a uniform group of young adults.
Key findings
01Using forward- and emitted-pressure calibrations significantly improved the repeatability of distortion product otoacoustic emission measurements within subjects across repeated probe fits.
02There were no significant reductions in the variability of either distortion product or stimulus-frequency otoacoustic emission levels across subjects when using advanced calibration methods.
03The observed improvements in test-retest repeatability were modest, likely because the single tester achieved consistent probe fits and the subject group was homogeneous.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study used a single highly trained tester, which minimized probe-fit variability and likely underestimates the potential benefit of these calibrations in real-world clinics where different staff perform tests. The participants were a homogeneous group of young adults with normal hearing, so results may not apply to diverse populations such as infants, elderly adults, or those with hearing loss. SFOAEs could not be analyzed at low stimulus levels due to poor signal-to-noise ratios, limiting conclusions about SFOAE calibration benefits. The short-term retest interval was only about one hour, and the long-term interval was only 1 to 3 months, which may not reflect the multi-year timelines often seen in clinical monitoring.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (N.I.H., Extramural).
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that advanced calibrations will make OAE measurements more comparable between different patients. The study found no significant reduction in inter-subject variability, meaning the natural spread of OAE levels across people remains unaffected by these technical adjustments.