Background: Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), in particular extra-esophageal reflux, has been associated with a variety of upper aerodigestive tract symptoms or diseases, such as sinusitis and otitis. Many studies showed the role of reflux in chronic otitis media in children.
Objective: To survey tympanometric changes in gastro esophageal reflux disease patients by tympanometry.
Patients and methods: Prospective cross-sectional study included 40 cases with GERD and 20 persons without GERD as a control group. All cases were subjected to history taking and ENT examination. Moreover, tympanometry was performed for all cases.
Results: The mean age of the included cases were 32.7 years. Patients were 25 females (62.5%) and 15 males (37.5%). The mean value of GERD score was 11.18 (range, 10 – 12). The four tympanogram types did not differ in age and gender, all the cases with type B and C tympanometry in the right ear was with GERD score of 11 and 12.
Conclusion: GERD may induce type B and C tympanometric changes, suggestive of eustachian tube dysfunction.