Limitations:
We consider several limitations to our study:
1) The diagnosis of NOE is clinical, and represents an extension of severe otitis externa.Although unlikely,It is still possible that some of the patients had severe otitis externa rather than NOE.
2) The parameters of micrabuminemia and HbA1C were only partially available (in the more recent cases). This missing data limits the possibilities of better statistical analysis and therefor limits conclusions on their effect on the outcome of NOE