Jia Zhang, Yusheng Du, Lihua Tang, Fan Song, Guoliang Wang, Xingyu Mei, Lili Hou, Zelin Cui, Zhenghua Zhu
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: Fungal infection of the external auditory canal, otomycosis, is generally a superficial, but sometimes stubborn mycotic infection that rarely involves the middle ear. We designed a randomized, controlled cohort study to analyse the treatment effect of ear canal lavage on otomycosis.
Methods: The clinical patients were divided into two groups: an irrigation group and an irrigation + local drug treatment control group. The patients were followed up once a month for three months.
Results: From January 2022 to December 2023, a total of 102 patients treated for otomycosis were enrolled, and 98 of the patients were followed up for three months. 22 of the 98 patients (22.45%) had no or minor symptoms. Common symptoms such as pruritus, pain, hearing impairment, etc., presented solely or in combination. Our fungal culture results revealed that, in 83 patients (84.69%), the otomycotic pathogen was Aspergillus, in 3 patients (3.06%) it was Penicillium, in 2 patients (2.04%) it was Candida species, and in the remaining 13 patients (13.27%) it was negative. There were 3 patients (3.06%) with a mixture of fungal culture reports. In the lavage group, 48 (48/52, 92.30%) patients were cured with initial treatment after three months of follow-up, two (2/52, 3.85%) patients were cured after one month but were lost to follow-up after three months, and two (2/52, 3.85%) patients failed after initial treatment, received topical miconazole ointment treatment and were eventually cured. In the irrigation + local drug control group, 48 (48/50, 96.00%) subjects responded to initial treatment without recurrent disease after three months; 2 (2/50, 4.00%) subjects were lost to follow-up. According to Fisher's exact test, there was no significant difference in treatment efficiency between the two groups (P = 0.258).
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the diagnosis of otomycosis requires vigilance from clinicians given its nonspecific or minor symptoms. Both ear canal rinses and local antifungal creams are effective, and sequential treatment via both methods is reasonable.
期刊介绍:
Official Journal of
European Union of Medical Specialists – ORL Section and Board
Official Journal of Confederation of European Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Head and Neck Surgery
"European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology" publishes original clinical reports and clinically relevant experimental studies, as well as short communications presenting new results of special interest. With peer review by a respected international editorial board and prompt English-language publication, the journal provides rapid dissemination of information by authors from around the world. This particular feature makes it the journal of choice for readers who want to be informed about the continuing state of the art concerning basic sciences and the diagnosis and management of diseases of the head and neck on an international level.
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology was founded in 1864 as "Archiv für Ohrenheilkunde" by A. von Tröltsch, A. Politzer and H. Schwartze.