RESUMO
The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the middle ear status on detection and amplitude of otoacoustic emissions-DPOAE. DPOAE were detected in all healthy ears and their amplitude was between 11.4 and 22.4 dB SPL. Responses at frequencies of 0.5 and 0.75 kHz were not detected in the group of children with Eustachian tube dysfunction in 60% and 27% of ears respectively. The absence of DPOAE responses in the group of children with B type tympanometry was found in 3/4 of the investigated ears at frequencies of 0.5 and 0.75 kHz and in over 50% of ears at frequencies of 1.0 and 8.0 kHz. No influence of cochlear reserve on detection and amplitude of DPOAE was found in the studied group. Conductive hearing loss associated with a presence of negative pressure and effusion in the middle ear inhibits DPOAE detection and causes decrease of otoacoustic emission amplitude.