title: Characteristics of cerumen in diabetic patients: a key to understanding malignant external otitis?
abstract: Malignant externa otitis is a potentially fatal disease in diabetic and other immunocompromised patients. Cerumen contains defense properties that protect the patient against infection. We tested the hypothesis that patients with diabetes mellitus have abnormalities in their cerumen that affect the environment of their external auditory canals and may predispose them to malignant externa otitis.
authors.affiliation: Cooper Hospital, University Medical Center, Camden, NJ.
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Driscoll
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramachandrula
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Drezner
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Schaffer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002571:Cerumen / Q000737:chemistry*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009113:Muramidase / Q000032:analysis; D010032:Otitis Externa / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D009113:Muramidase