Predictive role of audiological and clinical features for functional results after stapedotomy.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze and compare the preoperative factors that potentially influence the outcome of stapedotomy in our study group.


METHODS
161 cases were enrolled. Clinical variables considered to influence functional results - air conduction (AC) and bone conduction (BC) pure-tone average (PTA), air-bone gaps (ABG), sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), ABG gain and DeltaSNHL - were gender, age, case type (unilateral vs. bilateral), ear side (right vs. left), pregnancy, vascular disease and family history of otosclerosis. The audiometric variables were preoperative AC- and BC-PTA, SNHL and ABG.


RESULTS
Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the probability of obtaining a > or =10 dB gain is significantly affected by the following factors: age <50 years, AC-PTA > or =50 dB and preoperative ABG > or =30 dB. All the other factors included into the registration (gender, familiarity, side, bilateral vs. unilateral, pregnancy, vascular diseases and preoperative BC-PTA) were not found to significantly affect postoperative gain (p > 0.05). Nevertheless, multivariate logistic regression analysis maintained a statistically significant correlation only between gain > or =10 dB and both preoperative ABG > or =30 dB and age <50 years.


CONCLUSIONS
The accurate knowledge of predictive factors is a valuable tool that permits the surgeon to plan surgery with a better case selection as well as assisting in counseling the patient with regard to the likelihood of success of the procedure.
Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Policlinico A. Gemelli, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, IT-00168 Roma, Italy. raffaellamarchese@yahoo.it
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Paludetti
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D001844:Bone Conduction; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010040:Otosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013201:Stapes Surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult