Portable Music Player Exposure and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions of Regensburg Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Background: The study aims to understand if Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAEs) can indicate early signs of Noise Induced Hearing Loss in normal hearing adolescents with different Portable Music Player exposure profiles and demographic backgrounds. Such a study has not been reported in Germany to date and international literature is inconclusive.

Methods: Ohrkan is a cohort study funded by the 'Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Gesundheit und Pflege'. The baseline phase of data collection took place between October 2009 and July 2011 in the city of Regensburg, Germany. Data was collected from a total of 2148 ninth grade students. Demographic and noise exposure data were collected by questionnaires administered to participating students and their parents. DPOAE and other hearing measurements were collected employing standard protocols by trained audiometricians at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the University Hospital of Regensburg. A subsample of 1468 normal hearing subjects, confirmed by tympanometry, audiometry, and the absence of any other hearing conditions, was selected for analysis. The subsample will be categorized based on PMP exposure status and the corresponding DPOAE data compared as the main analysis. Categorization by demographics and other factors of interest will be performed to characterize the subsample. Moreover regression modelling will be employed to assess the association between PMP exposure and a DPOAE outcome. Sensitivity analyses will also be performed to assess robustness of results.

Results: A total of 1468 of 2148 participants had normal hearing (tympanometry, audiometry, no hearing conditions), provided exposure data, and had reliable DPOAE data. The sample consists of approximately 810 females and 640 males, mostly between 14 and 17 years of age. The analysis is in process of completion.

Discussion: The discussion will concern the validity and robustness of results considering data collection and measurement, appropriateness of the analyses, results from sensitivity analyses, and possible limitations.

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