• Talha Ahmed Qureshi, Mohammad Sohail Awan, Nabeel Hamayun Hassan, Agha Hussain Aftab, and Syed Adnan Ali.
• Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• J Pak Med Assoc. 2017 Sep 1; 67 (9): 1313-1317.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the frequency and effects of blast-related otologic injuries.Methodshis retrospective study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised charts of patients who were victims of bomb explosions between January 2011 and July 2013. Frequency and percentages were reported using cross tabulation with size of bomb, distance of person from blast and the presence of victim in open or closed space. Association of associated variables were also analysed.ResultsOf the 100 patients, 81(81%) were men and 19(19%) were women. Besides, 68(68%) patients were aged <30 years. Also, 78(78%) subjects were exposed to < 80kg of explosives and 68(68%) were at a distance of>10m. Furthermore, 61(61%) patients were exposed to explosion in openspace. The prevalence of ear injuries was 21(21%). The odds of experiencing various symptoms of ears was high in those who were exposed to >80 kg of explosives (odds ratio: 3.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.16, 9.91). The odds of hearing loss in those who were within 10m was 8.62 (95% confidence interval: 2.72, 27.28) times than those who were >10 m from the site of explosion.ConclusionsOtologic injuries were frequently associated with large blasts.

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