Objectives: To evaluate the incidence of preauricular sinus, the association between preauricular sinus of a parent and their children, and the odds of hearing impairments in patients with preauricular sinus.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We evaluated data from 23,533 subjects who were interviewed between 2010 and 2012.
Results: The incidence of unilateral preauricular sinus was 1.3% and that of bilateral preauricular sinus was 0.3%. Female gender was statistically associated with preauricular sinus (adjusted odd ratio, AOR=1.401). There was no statistical difference between right- and left-sided preauricular sinus. There was an association between parents and their children for bilateral preauricular sinus (AOR of father's bilateral preauricular sinus=35.711; AOR of mother's bilateral preauricular sinus=7.683), but there was no association found for unilateral preauricular sinus. There was no link found between hearing impairment and preauricular sinus.
Conclusion: This large population-based study provides reliable information about the incidence of preauricular sinus, the association between preauricular sinus in parents and their children, and the lack of an association with hearing impairment; these results can help clinicians in the management of their patients.
Keywords: Auricle; Ear; Etiology; Fistula; Prevalence; Sinus.
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