Wideband Middle-Ear Measures in Aminoglycoside-Exposed Adults with Cystic Fibrosis

Novel findings from this investigation revealed that participants with CF regardless of AG dosing had greater WB TW compared with non-CF controls. Greater WB TW along with poorer (elevated) low-frequency audiometric thresholds and lower absorbance peak-to-tail differences compared with non-CF controls suggest increased middle-ear stiffness in individuals with CF. These differences are subtle as reflected in the higher air conduction thresholds at low frequencies, despite absent air-bone gaps. Additional studies of middle-ear function in CF patients with a history of middle-ear disorders are needed to determine the clinical implications of these findings.