Otoacoustic detection of risk of early hearing loss in ears with normal audiograms: a 3-year follow-up study.

Introduction: Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) are known to represent the contractile amplifier function of cochlear outer hair cells. It is known that low or absent DPOAEs are associated with hearing loss on audiograms. However, low DPOAEs can also be found associated with normal audiograms.