Hearing Threshold Estimation With Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission Growth Functions in People With Intellectual Disabilities in an Outreach Setting

Background People with intellectual disabilities often have undetected hearing loss. Methods In this prospective observational study featuring 110 adults with intellectual disabilities, hearing evaluations based on objective hearing threshold estimation using distortion‐product otoacoustic emission growth functions (DPOAEgfs) were performed in a sheltered workshop. Results were compared with thresholds obtained by conventional subjective pure‐tone audiometry (cPTA) and the adaptive self‐test PTA Multiple‐Choice‐Auditory‐Graphical‐Interactive‐Check (MAGIC). Results The differences between the lowest thresholds obtained by cPTA and MAGIC for the frequencies 1, 2, 4 and 6 kHz (LPTATs) and the estimated distortion‐product thresholds (EDPTs) were calculated. Four hundred twenty‐seven of 880 (48.5%) pairs of measurements did not differ by any more than 5 dB. With LPTATs as reference criterion, for a favourable four‐frequency average over 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 6.0 kHz with a cutoff of 20 dB HL, the sensitivity of the EDPTs was 92% and the specificity 62%; a cutoff of 30 dB HL increased the respective values to 98% and 77%. Conclusions DPOAEgfs are acceptable for estimating hearing thresholds in individuals with intellectual disability who may have limitations in performing conventional audiometry.