Increased risk of Eustachian tube disorders in patients with sleep-disordered breathing

Abstract

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and Eustachian tube disorders (ETDs) share the same risk factors. The specific aim of this study was to determine the correlation between these 2 conditions and to determine whether treatments for SDB reduce the risk of ETD.This is a retrospective and large population-based cohort study. According to Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, out of 1,000,000 insured patients, 24,251 patients were newly diagnosed with SDB from year 2000 through 2009. The control group for this study comprised 96,827 patients without SDB who were randomly selected from the same database at a ratio of 1:4, frequency matched for sex, age, and index year of SDB. The incidence of developing ETD was compared between these 2 groups; the main covariates were demographic data, interventions, and medical comorbidities.There was an increased risk of developing ETD among the SDB cohort compared with the control group (hazard ratio = 1.51, 95% confidence interval = 1.41–1.63). Compared with SDB patients who did not receive treatment, those who received the treatment, that is, pharyngeal or nasal surgery, CPAP, or multiple modalities (both surgery and CPAP), had a significantly reduced risk of developing ETD.This study showed that patients with SDB are at an increased risk of developing ETD and other comorbidities. The risk of developing ETD can be reduced by implementing prompt treatment for SDB. Multidisciplinary evaluation including ETD should be conducted in the management of patients presenting with SDB.

Outcome of Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty in SCUBA Divers

“…Eustachian tube dysfunction is thought to have a role in the pathogenesis of pathologies, such as acute and chronic otitis media, tympanic membrane (TM) retraction, and cholesteatoma, with their well-known morbidity and rare mortality. 1 Risk factors for ETD include sinusitis, smoking, gastrooesophageal reflux disease, and obstructive sleep apnea, [2][3][4][5][6][7][8] but these are seen only in some of the patients with ETD.…”

Eustachian tube dysfunction in candidates for surgery for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome

“…[2][3][4][29][30][31] The effect of these possible confounders on the development of Eustachian tube dysfunction has been analysed previously; it was found that the risk of developing Eustachian tube dysfunction was significantly higher in the OSAS patients, even those without any confounders. 8 Eustachian tube dysfunction has been shown to be more prevalent among OSAS patients than in the general population using several Eustachian tube assessment methods. 25 This is possibly because patients with OSA often show severe nasal obstruction, chronic sinusitis, and/or a deficit of nasal mucociliary clearance with nasopharyngeal stagnation of secretions.…”

“…6,26,29,30 The immediate and prolonged impact of conservative interventions (such as CPAP) and surgical procedures (such as expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty) for OSAS, is a subject of controversy in the literature. Because the risk of Eustachian tube dysfunction was found to be increased in patients with OSAS, [6][7][8] treatment of OSAS could potentially improve Eustachian tube dysfunction. The possible benefits of OSAS surgery include a reduction in the obstructive pressure of the Eustachian tube, as well as an increase in the normal physiological function of this structure.…”

“…Risk factors for Eustachian tube dysfunction include sinusitis, smoking and gastroesophageal reflux disease; 2–5 these are seen in only a portion of patients with Eustachian tube dysfunction. Recently, obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) was identified as an independent risk factor for Eustachian tube dysfunction, 6–8 although OSAS alone may be a risk factor for sinusitis 5 and gastroesophageal reflux disease.…”

Increased risk of Eustachian tube disorders in patients with sleep-disordered breathing

“…In the article, “Increased risk of Eustachian tube disorders in patients with sleep-disordered breathing”, [ 1 ] which appeared in Volume 96, Issue 31 of Medicine , the affiliations should have appeared as follows:…”