Results of the Spanish versions of the Chronic otitis media questionnaire-12 (COMQ-12) and Chronic otitis media benefit inventory (COMBI) in patients and controls in our environment.

Background and objective: The Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire-12 (COMQ-12) and the Chronic Otitis Media Benefits Inventory (COMBI) seek to assess the quality of life related to chronic otitis media or its surgical treatment. The objective of this study was to determine and evaluate the scores of the Spanish versions of the COMQ-12 and the COMBI.

Materials and methods: Multicenter retrospective study. Mean scores of the Spanish versions (COMQ-12-Spa and COMBI-Spa) were compared in consecutive adult patients diagnosed with chronic otitis media (COM), with or without cholesteatoma, undergoing tympanoplasty with and/or mastoidectomy and in a separate cohort of unaffected adults.

Results: 120 patients and 60 unnaffected adults completed the study. The mean score of the COMQ-12-Spa in patients with COM and in healthy adults was 22.95 ± 11.72 and 0.8 ± 1.3 respectively (p < 0.0001). COMQ-12-Spa did not discriminate between COM without (21.9 ± 10.45) and with cholesteatoma (23.82 ± 9.53) (P > 0.05). COMBI-Spa showed a mean postoperative score of 46.02 ± 9.08 and was not able to discriminate between tympanoplasty without mastoidectomy (48.01 ± 8.09) and mastoidectomy (45.32 ± 10.03) (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: The COMQ-12-Spa and the COMBI-Spa allow the pre- and post-intervention evaluation of the subjective severity of COM in adult patients in our setting, so their use is recommended.