Association Between Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 Scores and Eustachian Tube Function Test Results in Symptomatic Patients With a Normal Drum

Abstract

Background and Objectives: We investigated the clinical validity of and correlation between the Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 (ETDQ-7) scores and the eustachian tube function test (ETFT) results in patients with a normal drum. Subjects and Methods: The study included 49 patients (93 ears) with unilateral or bilateral ear fullness over >3 months. All patients were administered the ETDQ-7 survey and underwent the ETFT on the same day. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the association between the results were statistically analyzed. Results: ETDQ-7 scores were not significantly correlated with the ETFT results or with middle ear pressure. ETDQ-7 scores in patients with eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) were significantly higher than those in patients with normal ETFT results (<i>p</i>=0.039) when ETD was defined as a pressure change <10 daPa on the ETFT. The area under the ROC curve was 0.631, with a sensitivity of 37.0% and specificity of 89.4%. Conclusions: The ETDQ-7 has limited clinical significance in patients with ETD but a normal drum. Therefore, concomitant objective tests should be performed to diagnose patients with ETD.

Results of Eustachian tube balloon dilation measured using the nine-step test

“…All enrolled patients were asked to complete the Korean version of the ETDQ-7. The survey consisted of seven questionnaires regarding representative symptoms of ETD 24 . The participants also underwent otoscopic examination immediately followed by a Eustachian tube function test using the GSI TympStar Pro analyzer (Grason-Stadler Inc., Eden Prairie, MN, USA).…”

Unveiling the Potential: A Comprehensive Review of Dynamic Slow-Motion Video Endoscopy for Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Evaluation

“…This enables medical professionals to scrutinize and interpret the dynamic behavior of the ET as it unfolds. In some instances, specialized software may complement the DSVE setup, facilitating the analysis of captured footage, measurement of dynamic structural changes, and precise interpretation of results [ 12 , 13 ].…”