Assessment of nasal airway resistances and nasal mucociliary activities of patients with unilateral chronic otitis media by acoustic rhinometry and saccharin test.

CONCLUSIONS: A significant increase was determined in nasal airway resistance of the pathological side of the patients with unilateral chronic otitis media (COM) compared with the non-pathological side and the patients with normal ears. Based upon this result, nasal pathologies should also be considered during the diagnosis and treatment stages of patients with COM.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate whether there was a causal relationship between nasal pathologies causing eustachian tube dysfunction and COM.

METHODS: Thirty patients were randomly selected from among patients who presented due to hearing loss and ear discharge, and 30 healthy volunteers were randomly selected as the control group. Acoustic rhinometry and saccharin tests were performed in all of the subjects. Test results were recorded for both the groups and statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS: A statistically significant correlation was found between the pathological results and COM side in acoustic rhinometry (p < 0.01). The prevalence of pathology in the right side of the nasal cavity was found to be higher in the group with perforation in the right ear (73.7%) and in the left side of the nasal cavity was also found to be higher in the group with perforation in the left ear (54.5%).