Abstract：
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of ear protection (earplug and surf hood) in preventing the development of external auditory exostosis (EAE) in surfers.
METHODS: We performed a prospective observational study. Volunteer surfers were recruited from June 2016 to October 2017 on the Brittany coast in France. Each participant filled in a questionnaire and underwent otoscopic digitalized photography to establish the degree of external ear obstruction by two different practitioners. The correlation between the percentage of external ear obstruction and the time spent in water with or without protection was evaluated. Risk factors of EAE were assessed.
RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-two ears were analysed. The incidence of EAE was 89.96% with an average rate of obstruction of 37.65%. Risk factors for EAE were male sex (p = 0.0005), number of years practicing surf (p < 0.0001) and symptoms of ear obstruction (p = 0.0358). A significant correlation was found between EAE severity and number of hours spent in water without any protection (earplugs or surf hood) (p < 0.0001). No correlation was found between EAE severity and time spent in water with earplugs (p = 0.6711) but a correlation was identified between obstruction and time spent in water with surf hood (p = 0.0358).
CONCLUSIONS: Wearing earplugs is an effective way to prevent EAE in surfers unlike surf hood.
METHODS: We performed a prospective observational study. Volunteer surfers were recruited from June 2016 to October 2017 on the Brittany coast in France. Each participant filled in a questionnaire and underwent otoscopic digitalized photography to establish the degree of external ear obstruction by two different practitioners. The correlation between the percentage of external ear obstruction and the time spent in water with or without protection was evaluated. Risk factors of EAE were assessed.
RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-two ears were analysed. The incidence of EAE was 89.96% with an average rate of obstruction of 37.65%. Risk factors for EAE were male sex (p = 0.0005), number of years practicing surf (p < 0.0001) and symptoms of ear obstruction (p = 0.0358). A significant correlation was found between EAE severity and number of hours spent in water without any protection (earplugs or surf hood) (p < 0.0001). No correlation was found between EAE severity and time spent in water with earplugs (p = 0.6711) but a correlation was identified between obstruction and time spent in water with surf hood (p = 0.0358).
CONCLUSIONS: Wearing earplugs is an effective way to prevent EAE in surfers unlike surf hood.
摘要：
目的：本研究的目的是研究耳部保护（耳塞和冲浪罩）在预防冲浪者外耳外生性外生症（EAE）发展中的功效。
方法：我们进行了一项前瞻性观察性研究。2016年6月至2017年10月，在法国布列塔尼海岸招募了志愿冲浪者。每位参与者填写了一份问卷，并进行了耳镜数字化摄影，以确定两名不同从业者的外耳阻塞程度。评估了外耳阻塞的百分比与在有或没有保护的水中花费的时间之间的相关性。评估EAE的危险因素。
结果：分析了242只耳朵。EAE的发生率为89.96％，平均梗阻率为37.65％。EAE的危险因素是男性（p=0.0005），练习冲浪的年数（p<0.0001）和耳塞的症状（p=0.0358）。发现EAE严重程度与在没有任何保护(耳塞或冲浪罩)的情况下在水中花费的小时数之间存在显著相关性(p<0.0001)。在EAE严重程度与使用耳塞在水中花费的时间之间没有发现相关性（p=0.6711），但是在阻塞与使用冲浪罩在水中花费的时间之间发现了相关性（p=0.0358）。
结论：与冲浪罩不同，佩戴耳塞是预防冲浪者EAE的有效方法。
方法：我们进行了一项前瞻性观察性研究。2016年6月至2017年10月，在法国布列塔尼海岸招募了志愿冲浪者。每位参与者填写了一份问卷，并进行了耳镜数字化摄影，以确定两名不同从业者的外耳阻塞程度。评估了外耳阻塞的百分比与在有或没有保护的水中花费的时间之间的相关性。评估EAE的危险因素。
结果：分析了242只耳朵。EAE的发生率为89.96％，平均梗阻率为37.65％。EAE的危险因素是男性（p=0.0005），练习冲浪的年数（p<0.0001）和耳塞的症状（p=0.0358）。发现EAE严重程度与在没有任何保护(耳塞或冲浪罩)的情况下在水中花费的小时数之间存在显著相关性(p<0.0001)。在EAE严重程度与使用耳塞在水中花费的时间之间没有发现相关性（p=0.6711），但是在阻塞与使用冲浪罩在水中花费的时间之间发现了相关性（p=0.0358）。
结论：与冲浪罩不同，佩戴耳塞是预防冲浪者EAE的有效方法。
