Daily Impedance Audiometric Screening of ChildrenValidity of Impedance Tympanoscope ZS331 Compared with Impedance Audiometer AZ 7

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Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to test a fully automated screening impedance tympanoscope against a clinical impedance audiometer. Previous studies have indicated a relatively high incidence of type B tympanograms when using the tympanoscope and in addition shown a surprisingly large number of type B curves of one day's duration. The present study was based on 51 otherwise healthy children attending kindergartens (100 ears) who underwent daily tympanometric screening with both the impedance tympanoscope ZS331 and the impedance audiometer AZ7. The tympanoscope indicated a significantly larger number of type B tympanograms, and in 16 cases the type B curves could be demonstrated on only one day, resulting in significantly higher point and period prevalences of type B tympanograms. The difference is mainly attributable to the different ways in which a type B tympanogram is defined by the two instruments. On the basis of the present study we conclude that the impedance tympanoscope is not well suited for this type of study.