Abstract
One third of a total of 2,783 60-year-old males living in Gothenburg were examined to establish the frequency of pathologic changes in the middle ear. During 1973 to 1975, 767 men were examined. The eardrums were studied with otomicroscopy. Audiometric tests and x-ray of the mastoid cell system were performed. Pathologic changes were found in 37% of which 5% had chronic otitis. Hearing impairment was found in 95% of patients with chronic otitis. This group showed a significant reduction in mastoid cell area compared to males with normal tympanic membranes. There was a distinct relationship between low social class and small mastoid cell area and high frequency of noise injury.
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