Effect of Cigarette Smoking on Tympanic Membrane Admittance Characteristics

The effect of cigarette smoking on the admittance characteristics at the plane of the tympanic membrane was investigated using 40 young adults evenly divided into two groups, smokers and nonsmokers. Otoadmittance measurements, which included conductance, susceptance, admittance and phase angle, were administered for all subjects. Otoadmittance values, expressed in mmhos, were computed for both 220 and 660 Hz probe tone frequencies. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference and no significant interaction between smokers and nonsmokers for measures of susceptance, conductance admittance, or phase angle. These findings indicate that the condition of smoking has no significant effect on the admittance characteristics at the plane of the tympanic membrane. As expected, a significant frequency difference was found between 220 and 660 Hz probe tones in measurements of conductance, admittance, and phase angle.