Individual Differences and the Reliability of 2F1-F2 Distortion-Product Otoacoustic Emissions

Effects of Time-of-Day, Stimulus Variables, and Gender

Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) measured from the ear canal can be a sensitive tool to detect changes in cochlear function over time. However, if multiplemeasurement procedures are to be useful clinically, testing needs to be reliable and sources of variability within individuals should be known. Herein, the influence of time-of-day (TOD), stimulus frequency, stimulus sound pressure level (SPL), and gender were evaluated on 2f1-f2 DPOAE amplitude in 16 adult volunteers with normal hearing. The effects of oral temperature and resting-pulse rate were also assessed. This study demonstrated a TOD main effect, with a period approximating one cycle-per-day. The magnitude of this effect averaged less than one dB and was not dependent on stimulus (frequency or SPL) or participant variables (gender, oral temperature, or resting-pulse rate), nor was it synchronized to a particular point-in-time. Stimulus level and gender effects on DPOAEs across frequency were also observed. Using generalizability theory (GT), DP iso-level/frequency profiles (DPILFPs) were found to be reliable measures within-subjects over a contiguous 24-hour time period. Significant and reliable between-subject differences were also documented. This study demonstrates the influence of stimulus and participant variables, quantifies the within-subject reliability over a 24-hour time period, and confirms that significant and reliable between-subject differences exist on DPOAEs across frequency, SPL, and gender.

KEY WORDS: distortion product otoacoustic emissions, individual differences, reliability, gender effects, circadian rhythm

Submitted on April 5, 1996
Accepted on August 6, 1996