The acoustic reflex in adults with histories of otitis media in childhood

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effects of a history of otitis media (OM) in childhood on the acoustic reflex threshold (ART) in young adults.

Design: Questionnaire responses on childhood ear and hearing problems were obtained from populations of university students. In Study 1, 31 students reporting histories of persistent childhood OM and 34 students with no known OM histories were identified. They received pure-tone audiometry, otomicroscopy, and measurement of ARTs for a 500 Hz pure tone. In Study 2, 20 students with OM histories and 20 students with no known OM histories received pure-tone audiometry, otomicroscopy, and measurement of ARTs for a broadband noise.

Results: Subjects with OM histories had higher ARTs than did subjects with no known OM histories. Multiple regression analyses showed that the main variables contributing to elevated reflex thresholds were raised hearing thresholds on the activator ear and tympanic membrane abnormalities on the probe ear.

Conclusions: The elevated ARTs in adults with histories of childhood OM result from peripheral sequelae of OM. Further evidence is required to determine any functional significance of these raised reflex thresholds.