Abstract
In adults, spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAE) have shown a considerable frequency stability. In preterm infants, however, the SOAE proved to show an apparent and consistent upward shift of frequency at increasing postconceptional age (PCA). In 25 ears of 14 preterm infants (PCA, 29.1-41.3 wk) a total of 66 SOAE frequencies were monitored, ranging from 1611 to 5774 Hz. All but one of the SOAE frequencies shifted toward higher frequency. The SOAE frequency shift rate in Hertz per week was proportionally constant relative to the SOAE frequency. The mean shift rate was 0.74 ± 0.39%/wk. At increasing PCA, the SOAE frequency shift rate tended to slow down. A linear fit through the data predicted the SOAE frequency to stop at about 45-50-wk PCA. The frequency dependence and time course of the SOAE frequency shift strongly suggest cochlear maturation during the last period of gestation.
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Abbreviations
- OAE:
-
otoacoustic emission
- SOAE:
-
spontaneous OAE
- CEOAE:
-
click evoked OAE
- PCA:
-
postconceptional age
- GA:
-
gestational age
- FSR:
-
SOAE frequency shift rate
- OFSR:
-
overall SOAE frequency shift rate
- SPL:
-
sound pressure level
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank all parents and NICU personnel for their benevolent cooperation during the SOAE registration sessions. Special thanks is given to Geertjan van Zonneveld for his assistance in the creation of Figure 2.
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Supported by grants from the Heinsius-Houbolt Foundation.
Appendix
Appendix
For each SOAE frequency a total of N registrations were made, forming a series of frequency values f1 (PCA1) to fN(PCAN), where PCAN > PCA1. The overall frequency shift is simply calculated as the difference between the first and the last SOAE frequency:Equation
Dividing the overall frequency shift by the time in which the shift took place yields the OFSR in Hertz/wk: Equation Or, relative to the initial frequency f1 (PCA1) in precent/wk:Equation Using all intermediate registrations fn(PCAn) with n = 1 to N, a total of N - 1 observations of a PCA-dependent SOAE FSR can be calculated as follows: Equation
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Brienesse, P., Anteunis, L., Maertzdorf, W. et al. Frequency Shift of Individual Spontaneous Otoacoustic Emissions in Preterm Infants. Pediatr Res 42, 478–483 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199710000-00009
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199710000-00009
