Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is known to affect the levels of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in a frequency-specific manner. DPOAEs might, therefore, be used for monitoring the ICP non-invasively. Hypoxia can also cause alterations of DPOAE levels, which can be distinguished from ICP-related changes only, when their characteristics, in particular frequency specificity, are known in detail. DPOAEs at f (2) = 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16 kHz and oxygen saturation (SaO(2)) were continuously monitored in nine spontaneously breathing guinea pigs, anaesthetized by i.m. administration of midazolam, medetomidin and fentanyl, during the respiration of a gas mixture of N(2)O and O(2) containing either 30% O(2) or 13% O(2). Fourteen hypoxic intervals in eight animals were included into final data analysis. Characteristic hypoxic level alterations with a level decrease and a remarkable level destabilization during hypoxia, and a pronounced reversible level decrease after reoxygenation were observed at the frequencies of 4, 8 and 16 kHz. At 2 and 12 kHz, the only reproducible effect of hypoxia was an increased fluctuation of the DPOAE level, which was significantly less pronounced compared with the other frequencies (P < 0.05 for 12 vs. 16 and 8 kHz and for 2 vs. 16 kHz). DPOAE level alterations due to hypoxia depend on the frequency in guinea pigs. Studies in human are warranted to improve non-invasive ICP monitoring with DPOAE by the detection of hypoxia-related changes.