title: Do patients with otitis externa produce biochemically different cerumen?
abstract: As polyunsaturated fatty acids have better antibacterial properties than saturated fatty acids, the cerumen of seven patients with recurrent otitis externa and seven unaffected subjects was analysed to determine their ratio. There was no significant difference in either the overall ratio of unsaturated/saturated fatty acids or in the amounts of the individual fatty acids from the cerumen of either group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, UK.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Osborne
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Baty
mesh_terms: D002571:Cerumen / Q000032:analysis*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010032:Otitis Externa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids