Correlation Between Tympanometry Pattern of Infants with Complaints of Ear Pulling: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background: One of the most common concerns expressed by parents is the act of their infants pulling on their ears, which they often associate with otitis media. Objectives: The present study aimed to assess the patterns of tympanometry in infants presenting with complaints of ear pulling and to evaluate potential associations with demographic and clinical factors. Methods: A case-control study was conducted involving 88 infants under 12 months old (48 males, 40 females). The case group included infants with ear-pulling complaints (n = 44), and the control group comprised infants without ear-pulling (n = 44). Tympanometry was performed on all participants. Results: Out of the 88 participants included in the study, 48 were male and 40 were female. The tympanogram patterns for the right ear were as follows: Fifty-three individuals (60.2%) had an A-type pattern, 20 individuals (22.7%) had a B-type pattern, and 15 individuals (17%) had a C-type pattern. For the left ear, the tympanogram patterns were as follows: Forty-six individuals (52.3%) had an A-type pattern, 26 individuals (29.5%) had a B-type pattern, and 16 individuals (18.2%) had a C-type pattern. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software version 22. Tests included the Mann-Whitney test, Shapiro-Wilk test, descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and independent t-tests. Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, no significant association was observed between a history of recent respiratory tract infection, gender, age, and the tympanogram patterns in the two groups.