Evaluation of the Decrease of DPOAE Levels After VEMP Testing in Clinical Patients

Objectives: To determine if VEMP testing causes DPOAE level reduction. Methods: The changes of DPOAE levels after VEMP testing in 174 patients (80 males and 94 females; median age, 53 years [interquartile range, 39-67 years; range, 15-85 years]) who were examined in the vertigo outpatient clinic between June 2021 and December 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The DPOAE levels decreased significantly after VEMP testing at 1.4 kHz, 2 kHz, 2.8 kHz, sum all 1/2 octave, and average 1/2 octave (1-6 kHz). The decrease of the DPOAE levels was significantly correlated with age, but not sex or side. Conclusions: The strong sound stimulation used in VEMP testing can decrease DPOAE levels. VEMP testing can be an invasive test method and should be performed with detailed consideration of the risks and benefits. The age factor can influence the decrease of DPOAE levels in VEMP testing.