%0 Journal Article
%T Association of smoking or tobacco use with ear diseases among men: a retrospective study
%A Kiran Gaur
%A Neeraj Kasliwal
%A Rajeev Gupta
%J Tobacco Induced Diseases
%D 2012
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1617-9625-10-4
%X To determine the influence of smoking or tobacco use on ear diseases we performed a retrospective study among men.Of 11454 subjects of different age-groups there were 4143 men aged 20-60 years who were evaluated for demographic variables, smoking/tobacco use and middle and internal ear diseases. Descriptive statistics and age adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed.Among the 4143 men, 1739 (42.0%) were smokers or used tobacco. In smokers/tobacco users compared to non-users the age adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for chronic suppurative otitis media were 1.13 (CI 0.96-1.34), acute otitis media 1.16 (CI 0.82-1.64), suppurative otitis media 1.21 (CI 0.79-1.84), otosclerosis 0.97 (CI 0.52-1.33) (p > 0.05) and for overall middle ear diseases was 1.15 (CI 0.99-1.33, p = 0.05). For internal ear diseases the age adjusted odds ratios were for sensorineural hearing loss 1.12 (CI 0.92-1.58), 0.12 (CI 0.42-0.93) for vertigo and tinnitus and overall internal ear diseases were 0.97 (CI 0.77-1.22, p = 0.81). Among men 40-60 years there was a significantly greater risk for both middle ear (OR 1.73, CI 1.29-2.30) and internal ear diseases (OR 1.94, CI 1.24-3.04) (p < 0.001).Smoking/tobacco use is significantly associated with greater prevalence of middle and internal ear diseases among middle-aged men in India.The hazardous effect of tobacco on health is universally known[1]. The tobacco-induced negative effects on health include various types of cancers, heart disease, strokes, emphysema, and a slew of other serious (and often fatal) illnesses as observed in epidemiological and clinical studies[1,2]. Evidences have accumulated in recent years on the adverse effects of smoking and tobacco use on ear diseases and hearing among different population groups[3-10]. Some studies, on the other hand, have reported absence of such an association[11-13]. All forms of smoking and tobacco use are harmful[1,14,15] and there are significant data on relationship
%U http://www.tobaccoinduceddiseases.com/content/10/1/4