EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL PROFILE OF CHRONIC SUPPURATIVE OTITIS MEDIA PATIENTS AT SAINT PAUL’S HOSPITAL MILLENNIUM MEDICAL COLLEGE A DESCRIPTIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) remains one of the most common childhood chronic infectious diseases worldwide, affecting diverse racial and cultural groups both in developing and industrialized countries. It involves considerable morbidity and can cause extra- and intra-cranial complications if not diagnosed and treated at earliest. Objectives: To describe the epidemiological and clinical profile of chronic suppurative otitis media patients at Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: All the patients who meet the inclusion criteria were included in the study. And informed consent was taken from all the patients with ear discharge from otitis media, having 02 weeks or more duration of unilateral or bilateral ear discharge, and who attended the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) outpatient department clinics of SPHMMC. Data was collected in three months period from February 1st, 2019 through April 30th, 2019 using a structured questionnaire and the results were added their proforma and analyzed. Results: A total of 186 CSOM patients were included in the study and no sex preponderance was seen with age ranging from 07 months to 77 years. Most patients, 72.0% of them were below the age of 30 years and 82.8% of the patients stayed at urban areas and students accounted for 30.1% of the patients. As to the first time visit of patients, 12.5% of the rural residents and 9.0% of the urban residents visited traditional healers. More than half of the patients (52.0%) visited non ENT specialist during their first visit. Hearing loss complaint was reported in 83.3% of the patients. Tubotympanic type tympanic membrane perforation was the commonest (76.0%) and 95.0% of the patients had subtotal perforation. Three quarter (76.0%) of the patients had conductive hearing loss and moderate degree of hearing loss was the most common (51.0%). Conclusion and Recommendation: Among the CSOM cases, the younger segment of the population is the most affected. And the patients presented with long history of the disease, with median [IQR] duration of ear discharge of 11 [11±18] years and ranging from 01 month to 60 years. Thus, it is important to spread awareness among people for discharging ear for its early diagnosis and management. Sensorineural component of hearing loss was common in CSOM patients which affects their surgical out come on hearing. Thus, patients should be strictly counseled on the outcomes before surgery. Keywords: Chronic suppurative otitis media, discharge, epidemiology of otitis media