External and middle ear disease patterns in the holiday season
Authors:   Federal Research and Clinical Center for Physical and Chemical Medicine of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation, Baranov K.K. ,   Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation
Published: October 2023

Aim: to identify the patterns of the external and middle ear disease course in children and adults during the holiday season. Patients and Methods: 212 patients participated in the study: 98 children (46.2%) and 114 (53.8%) adults who visit an otorhinolaryngologist with complaints of ear pain, discharge from the external auditory canal and ear congestion that occurred during their stay in hot climatic conditions and in close proximity to the aquatic environment. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 — 98 children from 0 to 17 y.o. inclusive (mean age 7.1±2.5 y.o.), group 2 — 114 patients older than 17 y.o. (mean age 43.4±15.9 y.o.). The patients underwent standard otorhinolaryngological examination, digital videotoscopy and endootoscopy. Given the discharge from the external auditory canal, a bacteriological and mycological study was conducted. Patients received systemic and topical treatment. According to the indications, ear drops were used, the active substances of which were polymyxin B sulfate + neomycin sulfate + lidocaine hydrochloride. Results: the ear disease structure somewhat differed in adults and children and was represented by the following pathologies: diffuse acute otitis externa — in 38 (38.8%) children and 74 (64.9%) adults; limited otitis externa (furuncle in the external auditory canal) — in 3 (3.1%) children and 7 (6.1%) adults; otomycosis — in 2 (2%) children and 3 (2.6%) adults; acute otitis media — in 39 (39.8%) children and 18 (15.8%) adults; otitis media with effusion — in 7 (7.1%) children and 3 (2.6%) adults; exacerbation of chronic suppurative otitis media — in 2 (2%) children and 4 (3.5%) adults; external auditory canal injuries — in 2 (2%) children and 2 (1.8%) adults; eardrum injuries — in 2 (2%) children and 1 (0.9%) adult; foreign bodies in the external auditory canal — in 3 (3.1%) children and 2 (1.8%) of adults. Patients in both groups had concomitant ear pathologies, as well as diseases of the rhino-orbital area and pharynx: acute adenoiditis — in 22 (22.4%) children; acute tonsillopharyngitis — in 11 (11.2%) children and 15 (13.1%) adults; acute rhinosinusitis — in 19 (19.4%) children and 21 (18.4%) adults. Besides, 4 (4.1%) children had acute rhinosinusitis combined with acute dacryocystitis. According to the treatment results, there was a positive trend in 91 (92.8%) children and 109 (95.6%) adults with inflammatory external and middle ear pathologies (based on the otoscopy and subjective perception results) during a 7-day follow-up. Conclusion: the holiday period, which commonly implies the bathing and hot weather seasons, is characterized by a certain pathology spectrum of the external and middle ear, affecting both adults and children: diffuse and limited external otitis, otomycosis, acute otitis media, otitis media with effusion, exacerbation of chronic suppurative otitis media, foreign bodies in the external auditory canal, and external auditory canal injuries. KEYWORDS: holiday season, aquatic environment, ear, external otitis, acute otitis media, otitis media with effusion, chronic suppurative otitis media, rhino-orbital area pathology, otoscopy, ear drops. FOR CITATION: Baranov K.K. External and middle ear disease patterns in the holiday season. Russian Medical Inquiry. 2023;7(8):518–523 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2023-7-8-7.