(A815) Establish the Diagnostic Criteria of Impedance Test of Patients with Chronic Eustachain-tube Dysfunction in Taiwan

Introduction: The Eustachian tube, a small canal connecting the middle ear to the nasopharynx, regulates pressure balance for normal hearing. This study focuses on comparing impedance test results between Eustachain-tube dysfunction patients and healthy controls, aiming to establish normative values for rapid ETD assessment and post-treatment monitoring in Taiwan.

Methods: This study collected data from May 26, 2023, to October 29, 2024, involving 100 healthy participants and 52 with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD). Inclusion criteria for healthy participants required no history of ear or nasal diseases, surgeries, and a normal ETDQ-7 score. ETD participants met criteria based on abnormal ETDQ-7 scores, tympanometry, or physician diagnosis. Results from ENT clinic visits were reviewed for ETD cases. Healthy participants provided informed consent before testing. Data collected included age, gender, questionnaire results, and impedance test findings, analyzed using descriptive statistics. The Mann-Whitney U test compared age, impedance results, and ETDQ-7 scores, while the Chi-Square Test assessed gender distribution differences.

Results: This study included 53 males and 47 females (average age: 36.0 years) in the healthy group and 23 males and 29 females (average age: 52.1 years) in the ETD group. The age difference was significant (p < 0.001**), but gender distribution was not (p=0.305).
Impedance Test

Results: Healthy controls had an average mobility of 13.7, while the ETD group averaged 1 (p < 0.001**).
ETDQ-7

Results: Healthy participants scored 8.5 on average, compared to 25.4 in the ETD group (p < 0.001**).

Conclusions: This study analyzed middle ear pressure movement values with a cutoff of ≤4 (abnormal) and ≥5 (normal). Using individuals (n=152) as the unit, the test showed 100% sensitivity and 91% specificity for detecting ETD. Using ears (normal n=200; abnormal n=79) as the unit, the sensitivity was 97.47% and specificity 95.5%. The consistent cutoff of 4 demonstrated excellent accuracy, providing a reliable reference for the rapid clinical assessment of ETD.