Abstract
Background
Otorhinolaryngological (ENT) diseases are major health problem in India but the trends in occurrence of various disorders in clinical practice have not been well studied. To assess the types of such diseases and to determine changing trends in their incidence we performed this study.
Methods
The study was done at a non-government ENT center at Jaipur. From 1975 to 2005, >125000 patients of different diseases were evaluated here. The study includes randomly selected patients (n = 11454) from years 1980 to 2000 at an interval of 5 years to evaluate disease trends. Significance of trends was evaluated using least squares regression.
Results
In the years 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995 and 2000 mean age of patients was 26.60 ± 17.81 (range 0.16 to 85), 27.07 ± 16.91 (0.08 to 90), 28.30 ± 17.73 (0.25 to 90), 28.79 ± 17.8 (0.25 to 90) and 28.74 ± 17.81 (0.25 to 85) years respectively. 51 types of ENT diseases were observed of which 19 contributed to 76.8% (8807) patients and analysis was restricted to them. Chronic suppurative otitis media (2203, 19.2%), otitis externa (859, 7.5%), deviated nasal septum with nasal obstruction (717, 6.3%) and chronic tonsillitis (695, 6.1%) were the most common, followed by ear wax (569, 4.9%), sensorineural hearing loss (545, 4.7%), chronic rhinosinusitis (428, 3.7%) and epistaxis (320, 2.8%). There was increasing trend for stomatitis (b = 0.0014), deviated nasal septum (b = 0.0290), allergic rhinitis (b = 0.0023), epistaxis (b = 0.0002), acute tonsillitis (b = 0.0003), hoarseness (b = 0.0017), deaf mutism (b = 0.0005), sensorineural hearing loss (b = 0.0038), tinnitus (b = 0.0006) and ear wax (b = 0.0050). Declining trend was observed for chronic rhinosinusitis (b = −0.0155), otitis externa (b = −0.0063), chronic suppurative otitis media (b = −0.0001), acute otitis media ( = −0.0007), secretory otitis media (b = −0.0013), otosclerosis (b = −0.0007), vertigo (b = −0.0007), neck swelling (b = −0.0005) and chronic tonsillitis (b = −0.0194).
Conclusion
This study from an Indian urban ENT center shows a significantly increasing trend in chronic and degenerative ear diseases and decline in infection related diseases.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Mahal A (2005) Disease burden in India: estimations and causal analysis. In: National Commission on Macroeconomics and Health Background Papers: Burden of Disease in India. New Delhi. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, pp 1–9
Symroulakis EK, Spyridon K, Alegakis A, Kyrmizakis DE, Drivas EI, Rachiotis G, Philalithis A, Velegrakis G (2006) Epidemiologic profile of otorhinolaryngological head and neck disorders in a tertiary hospital unit in Greece: a challenge for general practitioners. BMC ENT Dis 6:e12
Hannaford PC, Simpson JA, Bisset AF, Davis A, McKerrow W, Mills R (2005) The prevalence of ear nose and throat problems in the community: results from a national cross-sectional postal survey in Scotland. Family Prac 22:227–233
Shashy RG, Moore EJ, Weaver A (2004) Prevalence of the chronic sinusitis diagnosis in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 130:320–323
Perez Obon JP, Rivares EJ, Leache PJ, Fernandez LR, Marin GJ, Sevil NJ, Matico BA (1995) An outpatient study in ENT (otorhinolaryngology) emergencies at a general hospital. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Esp 46:298–304
O’Driscoll K, Donnelly MJ, McShane DP, Burns H (1993) An audit of the ENT casualty service at the Royal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital. Ireland J Med Sci 162: 462–465
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gaur, K., Kasliwal, N., Bhandari, A. et al. Changing trends in otorhinolaryngological diseases at a non-government clinic in Jaipur. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 61, 173–178 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-009-0061-1
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-009-0061-1