Characteristics of cerumen in diabetic patients: a key to understanding malignant external otitis?

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...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inOtolaryngology-head and neck surgery Vol. 109; no. 4; p. 676
Main Authors Driscoll, P V, Ramachandrula, A, Drezner, D A, Hicks, T A, Schaffer, S R
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England 01.10.1993
Subjects
Aged
Cerumen - chemistry
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - complications
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - immunology
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - metabolism
Fatty Acids - analysis
Fatty Acids, Unsaturated - analysis
Female
Humans
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Male
Middle Aged
Muramidase - analysis
Otitis Externa - etiology
Otitis Externa - immunology
Otitis Externa - metabolism
Sex Characteristics
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Summary: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.
ISSN:0194-5998
DOI:10.1177/019459989310900407