Wideband Absorbance in Australian Aboriginal and Caucasian Neonates

Abstract

This study provided convincing evidence that Aboriginal neonates had significantly lower WBA values than their Caucasian counterparts, although both groups had equal pass rates, as determined by the test battery. Although the two ethnic groups showed significant differences in WBA, the factors contributing to such differences remain undetermined. Further research is warranted to determine the factors that might account for the difference in WBA between the two ethnic groups.

Medidas de imitância acústica de banda larga com estímulo chirp e tom puro em lactentes com normalidade de orelha média

“…We observed no significant differences in responses obtained with the chirp and pure tone stimuli (Figures 1 and 2). This result is in line with others observed in previous studies evaluating neonates (12,14) and children (27) , showing that both stimuli were equivalent. and suggesting that they may be used for wideband acoustic immittance measurements.…”

“…Similar results have also been shown by international studies (14,(21)(22)(23)(24) , including one (25) reporting that the reflectance was greater at low frequencies (250 to 1000 Hz), decreased at medium frequencies (from 1000 Hz to 4000 Hz), and increased again above the frequency of 4000 Hz. Results obtained in a later study (26) , in turn.…”

“…Evaluation of the parameters gender and ear (right or left) was not part of the objective of this study since previous publications have not demonstrated a significant difference in results when these parameters were included in the analysis (14,27) .…”

“…there is only one published study that analyzed wideband power reflectance in neonates with 27 to 78 hours of life (12) . Also, previous studies have shown a significant difference when comparing ethnic (13,14) and age groups (15) . Thus.…”

Sweep frequency impedance measures in Australian Aboriginal and Caucasian neonates

“…The absence of a second resonance in SFI findings may indicate middle ear dysfunction [12]. It is possible that SFI demonstrated compromised acousticmechanical properties of the middle ear of Aboriginal neonates which could not be identified by the battery of tests [33]. Furthermore, the fluid and other materials affecting the middle ear could have altered the acoustic-mechanical properties of the middle ear (i.e., RF2 decreased or absent) of Aboriginal neonates more than Caucasian neonates.…”