TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Zanon, Alessia
AU  -  Martini, Alessandro
T1  -  Gender differences in otolaryngology: an overview
PY  -  2018
Y1  -  2018-07-01
DO  -  10.1723/3035.30353
JO  -  The Italian Journal of Gender-Specific Medicine
JA  -  Ital J Gender-Specific Med
VL  -  4
IS  -  3
SP  -  101
EP  -  107
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  2612-3487
Y2  -  2026/04/30
UR  -  http://dx.doi.org/10.1723/3035.30353
N2  -  Summary. Gender difference in otolaryngology (ENT, Ear Nose and Throat) is a poorly-investigated subject in literature, with the exception of purely epidemiological diversities in oncology. Studies often report sex differences without researching their causes. Sex disparities drastically affect diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in some medical settings as demonstrated by the increasing number of studies published on this subject. Therefore, the aim of this review is to search out data already published about gender differences in ENT, if present, with special attention to their consequences in this discipline. Basically, there are no specific studies about it in the literature. However, there are also significant sex differences in ENT, in terms of epidemiology, anatomy, audiology, inflammation, infectious diseases, pain and cancer susceptibility, in particular for the HPV-related forms. The reasons behind this are to be found in bad habits as smoking or alcohol abuse, more common in men, but also in other, less investigated aspects. This review is directed at improving otolaryngologists’ awareness of the existence of gender differences in this medical specialty, as well as the consequences in multiple fields, mostly poorly understood. Studies in the literature also seem to suggest sex differences in ENT diseases, but specific research projects do not exist. Moreover, statistically significant differences in this ambit are often not developed to a profound level. Conversely, more recent works, such as HPV-focused studies, demonstrate that if correctly planned, studies reveal existing gender differences in ENT, especially in prognosis and therapy response.
ER  -