Conductive and Mixed Hearing Losses: A Comparison between Summer and Autumn.
OBJECTIVE
Conductive hearing loss is common among children and adults. This study aims at comparing the results of conductive hearing loss in summer and autumn.


METHODS
Puretone audiometry and tympanometry tests were done for all patients who referred to the Iranian-based audiology center of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ahvaz. Data on the patients with conductive or mixed hearing loss were analyzed. The impacts of season, age, and etiology of the disease were analyzed on the patients who visited the audiology clinic due to the conductive hearing loss in summer and autumn.


RESULTS
One hundred and fifty nine patients in summer and 123 patients in autumn had conductive or mixed hearing loss. Their age ranged from four to 82 years, with the average age of 35. The percentage of the patients, with acute otitis media and chronic otitis media (COM), who visited this clinic, was significantly higher than those with middle ear problems. COM and mastoid surgeries rate was higher in summer than autumn among adults.


CONCLUSIONS
There is no relationship between season and middle ear diseases between children and juveniles, but COM and mastoid problems are more common in summer among adults visiting this clinic. Most of the patients had mild conductive hearing loss and bilateral middle ear impairments.
Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Mansoureh
M
Nickbakht
Department of Rehabilitation Management, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Samira
S
Borzoo
Ear; Hearing disorders; Hearing loss