title: Is there any relation between coronary atherosclerosis and tympanosclerosis?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of medium and large-sized arteries. Tympanosclerosis is the hyalinization and calcification of the connective tissue in the middle ear, including the tympanic membrane. The etiology and pathogenesis of tympanosclerosis are still controversial. There are some reports about the possible relationship between development of tympanosclerosis and atherosclerosis. Therefore, we aimed a cross-sectional study to investigate relationship between tympanosclerosis and atherosclerosis in patients referred for coronary angiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 203 consecutive patients (145 men, mean age 59+/-11 years) who underwent coronary angiography. Otoscopic examination was performed in all patients. All angiographies were examined to calculate coronary artery vessel stenosis and extent scores. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the angiographic scores with existence of tympanosclerosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 203 patients, 35 (17%) patients had angiographically normal coronary arteries without any atheroma plaque and 168 (83%) had coronary atherosclerosis. In the otoscopic examination, tympanosclerosis was found in 14 patients (6.9%). No significant differences in distribution of clinical atherosclerotic risk factors (age, gender, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking and cholesterol levels) were found between groups with and without tympanosclerosis. Tympanosclerosis was found in 4 patients with normal coronary arteries (11.4%). In the group of coronary atherosclerosis, 10 patients have tympanosclerosis (5.9%). In addition, there was no statistically significant association of coronary artery vessel, stenosis or extent scores of atherosclerosis with tympanosclerosis (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We could not find any association between tympanosclerosis and angiographic extent and severity of atherosclerosis, contrary to other studies. More studies are needed to understand etiological mechanisms and association between them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Mersin University, Turkey. drdilekcicek@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ciçek
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vayisoğlu
authors.forename: Kemal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Görür
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Camsari
authors.forename: I Türkay
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Ozcan
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Akçay
authors.forename: Asuhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aksoy Kara
mesh_terms: D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010040:Otosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D038781:Otoscopy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000473:pathology*