Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 November 2021
The increased incidence of necrotising otitis externa over the last decade has had a significant burden on healthcare providers. Several factors may affect outcome, and stratifying risk may allow personalised treatment.
Retrospectively identified patients were prospectively surveyed over 12 months. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify predictors of poor prognosis.
Twenty-six patients with necrotising otitis externa (average age of 80 years) were admitted from 2018 to 2019. At one year, 19 per cent mortality was observed. A high Charlson Comorbidity Index was associated with increased mortality (p = 0.03), prolonged in-patient stay (p = 0.047) and increased odds of adverse outcomes (odds ratio = 1.48, 95 per cent confidence interval = 0.26–2.67, p = 0.019). The Charlson Comorbidity Index in our prognostic model was validated using the receiver operating characteristic curve (area under the curve = 0.76). Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 5 or more independently predicted one-year morbidity and mortality (hazard ratio = 1.30, 95 per cent confidence interval = 0.94–1.79, p = 0.03).
Risk-stratifying patients may enable clinicians to holistically counsel patients and tailor their treatment to improve their prognosis and subsequently alleviate the burden of necrotising otitis externa.
Dr D Rojoa takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper