Profile of Adults with Acute Suppurative Otitis Media: An insight for primary care providers.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the clinical profile and determine the risk factors associated with acute suppurative otitis media among adults presenting to the outpatient section of the Otorhinolaryngology department with recent onset ear symp-toms.
Methodology: This hospital-based analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in the Otorhinolaryngology outpa-tient department of Niazi Welfare Foundation Teaching Hospital, Sargodha, between April 2025 and March 2026. Adults aged ≥18 years presenting with recent-onset ear symptoms (≤2 weeks) were consecutively enrolled. A detailed clinical history followed by otoscopic examination was performed to confirm the diagnosis of acute suppurative otitis media (ASOM). Binary logistic regression analysis was applied to identify independent predictors, with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) reported. Statistical significance was set at a p-value ≤0.05.
Results: Among 305 participants, 73 (23.9%) were diagnosed with ASOM. Logistic regression analysis identified smoking, nasal pathologies, history of recurrent ear infection, self-induced Valsalva maneuver and recent air travel are recognized as independent predictors of ASOM (p≤0.05).
Conclusion: Strengthening primary healthcare capacity for recognition of aforementioned risk factors may promote timely diagnosis and referral, consequently disease burden and preventing long-term complications will be prevented.
Keywords: Earache, Eustachian Tube, Hearing loss, Otitis Media, Mastoiditis, Tympanic membrane, Valsalva maneuver.