title: Intratemporal complications of otitis media.
abstract: Otitis media (OM) is considered a potentially severe disease due to the risk of complications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To establish the annual incidence of intratemporal complications (ITC) resulting from OM and to prospectively assess patients for epidemiological and clinical factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective cohort study included patients admitted during one year at a university hospital diagnosed with intratemporal complications of OM. Patients were analyzed for age, gender, type of intratemporal complication, treatment, and clinical outcome. The overall incidence of complications and the specific incidence rates of each type of complication were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1,816 patients were diagnosed with OM; 592 (33%) had chronic OM; 1224 (67%) had acute OM. Fifteen patients were diagnosed with OM ITC, adding up to an annual incidence of 0.8%. Nineteen diagnoses of ITC were made in 15 patients. Seven (36.8%) patients were diagnosed with labyrinthine fistula, five (26.3%) with mastoiditis, four (21.1%) with peripheral facial palsy, and three (15.8%) with labyrinthitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of intratemporal complications remains significant when compared to the rates seen in developed countries. Chronic cholesteatomatous otitis media is the most frequent etiology of intratemporal complications. Labyrinthine fistula is the most common intratemporal complication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, UNIFESP-EPM, Brazil.
authors.forename: André Souza de Albuquerque
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Maranhão
authors.forename: José Santos Cruz de
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Valéria Romero
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Godofredo
authors.forename: Rafaella Caruso
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Matos
authors.forename: Norma de Oliveira
authors.initials: Nde O
authors.lastname: Penido
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007759:Labyrinth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008417:Mastoiditis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult