Association of Tubotympanic Type Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media with Sinonasal Pathologies

Background: Sino-nasal and paranasal pathologies has a negative impact on the progression and treatment outcomes of chronic suppurative otitis media. The objective of this study is to find the association of chronic suppurative otitis media of the tubo-tympanic type with diseases of the nose and the sinonasal system. Methods: This was a prospective observational study with 110 patients involved through a consecutive non-probability sampling technique and conducted at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, for a period of 6 months starting from 1st July 2024 to 31st December 2024. The type of CSOM on otoscopy and various nasal pathologies seen on rhinoscopy were included. The presentation of CSOM on otoscopy and audiogram results with and without Sino-nasal disease was assessed. The Pearson's chi-squared test was used to test the correlation between risk factors (CSOM) and outcomes, with a p-value <0.05 considered statistically significant.  Results: Out of 110 patients selected for this prospective trial, the mean age of the sample population was 25.6 ± 13.7. In terms of gender, 42 (38.2%) patients were female, and 68 (61.8%) patients were male. The Pearson chi-square analysis revealed a significant association between the absence of nasal pathology and symptoms of CSOM in terms of the health of the tympanic membrane and the level of hearing loss (p-value < 0.05); however, ear discharge had an insignificant correlation (p-value 0.652). Conclusion: The study suggests that obstructive nasal and Sino-nasal conditions may negatively affect the response to treatment and worsen the symptoms related to chronic suppurative otitis media.