Measuring resonance frequency of the middle ear in school-aged children: potential applications for detecting middle ear dysfunction

Abstract

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.

Keywords:

• Resonance frequency
• wideband tympanometry
• middle ear dysfunction
• hearing screening
• children

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge an equipment loan from Interacoustics A/S (Denmark).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a PhD Scholarship Grant through the Children’s Hospital Foundation awarded to Cerys Downing.