A novel earwax self-sampling device: A feasibility study
Author
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Herane Vives, Andrés Rubén
Author
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Sandoval, Rodrigo
Author
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Ortega, Lorena
Author
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Espinoza, Susana
Author
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Cleare, Anthony
Author
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Hayes, Alexander
Author
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Ortúzar, Esteban
Author
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Valdenegro, Tomás
Author
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Aguiló Vidal, Bruno
Author
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Benöhr, Jan
Author
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Arnone, Danilo
Admission date
dc.date.accessioned
2021-12-22T12:27:30Z
Available date
dc.date.available
2021-12-22T12:27:30Z
Publication date
dc.date.issued
2021
Cita de ítem
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Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 4882
es_ES
Identifier
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10.3390/app11114882
Identifier
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https://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/183351
Abstract
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(1) Background: Earwax might provide the long-term concentration of substances that
are altered in chronic diseases. Standardised earwax extraction has to be exclusively performed
by clinicians. We investigated the safety, reliability, and tolerance of a novel self-sampling earwax
device in comparison with a clinical method; (2) Methods: We compared the reliability between both
methods in a longitudinal study. We first cleaned both ears at baseline in 37 controls. Secondly, we
obtained a sample a month after by extracting earwax from the right ear with a novel self-sampling
device, and from the left ear by using the clinical method. Reliability of both methods was measured
by coefficients of variation; (3) Results: The weight of the baseline samples was not significantly
different between ear sides. The reliability of the two methods was not significantly different. The
self-extraction method removed eight times more earwax than the clinical method. The new method
proved to be well tolerated; (4) Conclusions: The novel device was as reliable as the clinical method
in sampling earwax. In view of its practicality, safety, tolerability and efficiency, the new method may
have clinical applications at a reduced cost.
es_ES
Lenguage
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en
es_ES
Publisher
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MDPI
es_ES
Type of license
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States