Dose- and starting time-dependent effect of the application of EGF to the regeneration of traumatic eardrum

Abstract

Background: Some studies have shown that topical application of epidermal growth factor (EGF) accelerates healing in traumatic tympanic membrane perforations (TMPs), however, the optimal dose and starting time of application have not been established.

Objectives: To determine the optimal dose and starting time of application of EGF for the regeneration of TMPs.

Methods and materials: Patients with traumatic TMPs were first randomly assigned to low-dose EGF, high-dose EGF, and spontaneous healing groups. Then, the same patients were retrospectively analyzed at 6 months based on the starting time of treatment. The closure times, closure rates, and hearing gain were compared among the groups at 6 months.

Results: The mean closure time was 10.20 ± 5.13 days in the low-dosage EGF group, 14.39 ± 6.20 days in the high-dosage EGF group, and 33.17 ± 16.37 days in the spontaneous healing group; the difference was significant (p < .001).

Conclusions: Daily application of EGF shortened the closure time of traumatic TMPs compared with those that healed spontaneously. However, high-dose EGF instead prolonged the closure time compared to low-dose EGF.

背景：一些研究表明局部应用表皮生长因子（EGF）可加速创伤性鼓膜穿孔（TMPs）的愈合, 然而, 最佳剂量和开始使用时间尚未被确定。

目的：确定用于TMP再生的EGF的最佳剂量和使用起始时间。

方法和材料：创伤性TMP患者首先被随机分为低剂量EGF组、高剂量EGF组和自发愈合组。然后, 基于治疗的开始时间, 在6个月时回顾性地分析这些患者。在6个月时比较各组的闭合时间、闭合率和听力增益。

结果：低剂量EGF组平均闭合时间为10.20 ± 5.13天；高剂量EGF组为14.39 ± 6.20天；自发愈合组为33.17 ± 16.37天。差异是很显著的（p <.001）。

结论：与自发愈合的时间相比, 每天使用EGF缩短了创伤性TMPs的闭合时间, 。然而, 与低剂量EGF相比, 使用高剂量EGF会导致更长的闭合时间。

Keywords:

• Traumatic
• tympanic membrane perforation
• epidermal growth factor
• healing outcome

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Science and Technology Agency of Zhejiang Province, China [Grant #2013C33176].