Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42153658›Full record

ArticlemSystems2026

The middle ear-nasopharyngeal microbiome axis associated with obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction in chronic otitis media.

Xiaoxin Chen, George Gong Chen, Zhongqin Gong, Hengyan Zhu, Ziqi Liang, Jason Ying Kuen Chan, Michael Chi Fai Tong, Zigui Chen, Wai Tsz Chang

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in mSystems, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Xiaoxin ChenDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
George Gong ChenDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Zhongqin GongDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Hengyan ZhuDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Ziqi LiangDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Jason Ying Kuen ChanDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0002-9480-4637
Michael Chi Fai TongDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Zigui ChenDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0002-8577-1298
Wai Tsz ChangDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID 0000-0002-5952-6096

Funding

Hong Kong Government 8601687
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) commonly complicates chronic otitis media (COM), yet microbial factors at the Eustachian tube (ET) openings remain poorly understood. In this prospective cohort study, we characterized the microbiota at both the middle ear (ME) and nasopharyngeal (NP) ET openings in COM patients undergoing ear surgery and examined associations with obstructive ETD over one year of follow-up. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and functional inference, we profiled microbial communities from the ME-side ET opening and the torus tubarius on both surgical-side and contralateral nasopharynx. Among 37 patients (18 with ETD, 19 without), ME and NP microbiota differed significantly in composition. Ears with ETD showed increased ME microbial diversity and enrichment of

Indexed as

Ear, MiddleEustachian TubeMicrobiotaNasopharynxOtitis MediaAdultBacteriaChronic DiseaseFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesRNA, Ribosomal, 16SRNA, Ribosomal, 16S16S rRNA gene sequencingchronic otitis mediaEustachian tube dysfunctionhuman microbiomemiddle earnasopharynx

Identifiers

PMID42153658
PMCPMC13288983

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.