Otoacoustic emission as an indicator in evaluating inner ear impairments.

Stimulated otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) were recorded from subjects with various kinds of sensorineural loss. The interaural difference in the value of the OAE pseudothreshold was significantly higher in unilateral inner ear impairments, in which there was a positive correlation between the interaural difference in the values of the psychoacoustic threshold and of the OAE pseudothreshold. There were no interaural differences of OAE in the cases of unilateral functional deafness. The measurement of OAE may serve as an indicator for evaluating sensorineural hearing losses.