Avaliação eletroacústica da via eferente olivococlear em indivíduos com queixa de zumbido

Abstract

Purpose: to investigate the suppressive effect of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions in subjects with tinnitus complaint and normal audiometry and to analyze the relation to age, gender, laterality of tinnitus and its degree of discomfort. Methods: we assessed 60 subjects, 14 males and 46 females, aged between 20 and 59 years, 30 with tinnitus (experimental group) and 30 without tinnitus complaint (control group). The suppression of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions was investigated with contralateral white noise at 50 dBHL at the frequency bands of 700, 1000, 1400, 2000, 2800 and 4000Hz. Results: the mean value for the suppression of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions in the experimental group ranged from 2.14 to 4.38. In the control group, the mean value for suppression of transient--evoked otoacoustic emissions ranged from 2.27 to 4.88. Conclusion: suppression values of otoacoustic emissions were similar in subjects with and without tinnitus, although the results of the tinnitus group were lower, suggesting worse performance of the Superior Olivary Complex.