Risk factors for middle ear cholesteatoma surgery based on Korean population data

Background: Studies of risk factors for middle ear cholesteatoma surgery using population-based data are lacking. Objectives: To investigate the risk factors for cholesteatoma surgery in adults based on population data from Korea. Materials and Methods: For this retrospective study, we used Korean National Health Insurance Service National Sample Cohort data. Patients who were 20 years or older and underwent mastoidectomy from 2006 through 2015 under the diagnostic codes of cholesteatoma were defined as patients with middle ear cholesteatoma surgery. The control group was comprised of the remaining database sample in 2006. Sociodemographic factors in 2006 and histories of medical diseases, allergic diseases, and chronic sinusitis from 2003 through 2005 were compared between cholesteatoma surgery and control groups. Results: A total of 459 patients underwent cholesteatoma surgery. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, age 40–59 years and residence in metropolitan cities and small- and medium-sized cities and counties were significant risk factors for cholesteatoma surgery whereas allergic rhinitis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, and chronic sinusitis were not significant risk factors for middle ear cholesteatoma surgery. Conclusions and significance: The present study found no evidence of associations between allergic diseases or chronic sinusitis and cholesteatoma surgery in adults.