Otosclerosis and sensorineural hearing loss. A clinical study.

A causal relationship between otosclerosis and sensorineural hearing loss is thought to exist. Forty-nine patients with unilateral otosclerosis were studied by comparing the bone conduction threshold in the otosclerotic ear to the bone conduction threshold in the uninvolved ear. This difference was analyzed using the paired Student's t test, and significant differences were found at 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz but not at 500 Hz. This effect on the higher frequencies may be due to a change in the motion mechanics of the basilar membrane and is greatest at the basal end of the cochlea.