Analysis of clinical features and cytokeratin-17 expression in chronic suppurative otitis media patients with cholesteatoma in children and adult patients

BACKGROUND: Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) with cholesteatoma is a severe condition causing bone erosion and potentially fatal complications. Cholesteatoma can impact adjacent bones, with different clinical presentations in adults and children. Cytokeratin-17 (CK-17), typically expressed in basal cells of complex epithelium, has been identified in cholesteatoma epithelium. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features and expression of CK-17 in acquired nonrecurrent cholesteatoma and correlate them with its bone destructive capacity.METHODS: This cross-sectional study, conducted in tertiary teaching hospital from April 2022 to April 2024. Cholesteatoma patients were divided into two groups: children, adults, and compared (invasive and non-invasive), according to a grading score for bone resorption based upon clinical, radiologic and intraoperative findings. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of CK-17 in cholesteatoma samples was carried out using fresh acquired cholesteatoma tissues, collected during cholesteatoma surgery. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 29.0, with significance set at P