Risk factors for sensorineural hearing loss in chronic otitis media

Risk factors for sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) development in patients with chronic otitis media (COM) are longer duration of disease, older age and the presence of cholesteatoma. To prevent the expected development of SNHL, it is imperative to treat COM actively.

To assess the severity of SNHL in patients with unilateral COM and to define risk factors for its development.

The study included 317 patients with unilateral COM. Mean age was 28.7 ± 16.7 years (range 7-78 years) and mean duration of disease was 12.2 ± 11.3 years (range 0.25-60 years). In all patients, air conduction (AC) and bone conduction (BC) thresholds in both ears were measured at 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz. The parameters evaluated were demographics, duration of disease, presence and location of cholesteatoma and otologic history.

The difference in mean BC thresholds between the diseased ears and the healthy ears was statistically significant, ranging from 4.55 ± 10.89 dB to 12.55 ± 19.09 dB across the measured frequency range (p < 0.0001). Multivariate regression analysis revealed statistically significant correlations between advanced age, longer duration of disease and presence of cholesteatoma, and the BC threshold differences between the affected and healthy ears.