The factors which affect disease-specific quality of life in patients with chronic otitis media

Abstract

Objective: To determine the clinical findings which adversely affect quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic otitis media (COM) and to assess the relevancy between the severity of those findings and QOL scores. Study Design: Prospective cohort study with data collection. Setting: Tertiary referral university hospital. Patients: The study consisted of 138 patients who admitted to otolaryngology outpatient clinic with the complaints of ear drainage, tympanic membrane perforation, hearing loss, and associated symptoms and had a diagnosis of unilateral or bilateral COM were enrolled in the study. Main Outcome Measures: The patients were queried for QOL by using a novel survey, namely chronic otitis media outcome test (COMOT). In addition, all the documented physical examination findings and CT findings were compared with QOL score and subscores individually. Results: There was no difference in total score, ear symptoms score and hearing function score between unilateral and bilateral COM groups except the mental health subscore which revealed statistical significance (p=0.032). In addition, increasing age showed statistical significance for hearing function score(r=0.302 and p<0.001) and total score(r=0.180 and p<0.034). In unilateral COM group, there was significance between hearing function score and hearing level (p=0.033) and between retraction pocket and mental health score (p=0.019). Conclusion: We concluded that, since the patients' perception to their disease do not necessarily correspond to physicians' evaluation of disease severity, many patients delay in seeking medical treatment. In order to prevent further complications, all patients should be informed not to underestimate their disease.