Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions and sensori-neural hearing loss.

This study sought to clarify the clinical relevance of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) and to define the hearing loss level (and frequency) at which absence of SOAE is found. Findings from 126 ears of patients with sensori-neural hearing loss showed an incidence of SOAEs in 18.25% of the cases (23 out of 126 ears). SOAEs were never found when hearing loss at 1,000 Hz exceeded 10 dB. The presence of SOAE seems to indicate a good cochlear functioning at least in the mid-frequencies. Although the incidence of SOAEs is markedly lower than that of evoked otoacoustic emissions (EOAEs), SOAE recording is shown to be a good test, rapid, non-invasive for audiological screening, the presence of SOAE confirming a hearing threshold of less than 10 dB at 1,000 Hz, the absence of SOAE being inconclusive.