Otosclerosis in an Urban Population

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Otosclerosis is a bone disease affecting the middle ear, leading to hearing loss.
• Its prevalence and risk factors in diverse urban populations require ongoing investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of otosclerosis within a large, urban public health system.
• To analyze demographic and geographic factors associated with otosclerosis diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 672,839 patients from January 2010 to August 2019.
• Analysis of diagnostic data (audiometry, CT scans) and patient demographics (sex, age, ethnicity, country of birth).

Main Results:

• 134 otosclerosis cases identified, with an overall prevalence of 20 per 100,000.
• Hispanics showed the highest prevalence (43 per 100,000), especially foreign-born individuals (60 per 100,000).
• Foreign-born Hispanics had a 3.69 times higher odds of otosclerosis compared to US-born Hispanics.

Conclusions:

• Otosclerosis prevalence is significantly influenced by country of birth, particularly among Hispanic populations.
• Environmental factors, potentially related to historical measles immunization rates, are likely drivers rather than inherent ethnic susceptibility.
• Further research into environmental influences on otosclerosis is warranted.