Alshehri Sarah, Musleh Abdullah
Otology and Neurotology, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha 61423, Saudi Arabia.
Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha 61423, Saudi Arabia.
Diagnostics (Basel). 2024 Jun 12;14(12):1229. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics14121229.
Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) affects a significant portion of the population, manifesting symptoms that impact the quality of life. Despite the prevalence of ETD, there remains a notable gap in comprehensive studies exploring the condition's dynamics within specific demographic contexts, particularly within Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of ETD across different demographic groups, to evaluate the efficacy of various treatment modalities, and to identify key predictors of treatment response in a Saudi Arabian cohort. A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2022 to May 2023 in tertiary care hospitals in the Aseer region, Saudi Arabia. Participants included adults diagnosed with ETD, assessed through clinical symptoms, otoscopic examinations, audiometric evaluations, tympanometry, and the ETDQ-7 questionnaire. The study incorporated advanced diagnostics such as nasopharyngoscopy and pressure equalization tube function tests and involved 154 participants, revealing significant variations in ETD severity, with the 46-60 age group exhibiting the highest mean ETDQ-7 score of 4.85, and urban residents displaying lower severity scores compared to rural counterparts. Pharmacological interventions were most effective, achieving the highest symptom relief and audiological improvement rates of 87.78%. Multivariate regression highlighted age, geographic location, and treatment modality as key predictors of treatment efficacy, with notable interaction effects between climate conditions and treatment types influencing outcomes. The findings underscore the heterogeneity in ETD presentation and the differential efficacy of treatment modalities.
咽鼓管功能障碍（ETD）影响着相当一部分人群，其表现出的症状会影响生活质量。尽管ETD很常见，但在探索该病症在特定人口背景下（尤其是沙特阿拉伯）的动态变化方面，全面研究仍存在显著差距。本研究旨在评估沙特阿拉伯队列中不同人口群体的ETD患病率和严重程度，评估各种治疗方式的疗效，并确定治疗反应的关键预测因素。2022年6月至2023年5月在沙特阿拉伯阿西尔地区的三级护理医院进行了一项横断面研究。参与者包括被诊断为ETD的成年人，通过临床症状、耳镜检查、听力评估、鼓室图和ETDQ - 7问卷进行评估。该研究纳入了鼻咽喉镜检查和咽鼓管功能测试等先进诊断方法，涉及154名参与者，结果显示ETD严重程度存在显著差异，46 - 60岁年龄组的平均ETDQ - 7得分最高，为4.85，城市居民的严重程度得分低于农村居民。药物干预最为有效，症状缓解率和听力改善率最高，分别为87.78%。多变量回归突出了年龄、地理位置和治疗方式是治疗效果的关键预测因素，气候条件和治疗类型之间存在显著的交互作用影响治疗结果。研究结果强调了ETD表现的异质性以及治疗方式的不同疗效。
