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

Driscoll, P V; Ramachandrula, A; Drezner, D A; Hicks, T A; Schaffer, S R · Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · 1993

case_control · Level III

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Abstract

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.

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