Table 6.

Evaluation of the effect of 8 weeks-AST on COME.

Groups	AST (n = 54)	Non-AST (n = 53)	Z/X2-value	p-value
a	1.1 month	1.6 month	−3.9	∗∗∗
b	3.7 %	15.1 %	2.9	0.1
Non-b	96.3 %	84.9 %
c	1.9 %	18.9 %	8.4	∗∗
Non-c	98.1 %	81.1 %
d	5.6 %	24.5 %	7.6	∗∗
Non-d	94.4 %	75.5 %
e	9.3 %	28.3 %	6.4	∗
Non-e	90.7 %	71.7 %

∗a, average healing time of the tympanic membrane; b, tympanic membrane perforation; c, suppurative otitis media; d, hearing loss; e, tinnitus.