NLRP3 and chronic purulent otitis media: Their mRNA expression was found to be significantly elevated in CSOM (42.1 ± 13.3 for NLRP3, 199.2 ± 73.4 for IL-1β) compared to control (non-CSOM) cochleae (1.91 ± 0.91, p = 0.018 for NLRP3; 2.83 ± 1.55, p = 0.032 for IL-1β) at 7 days following middle ear infection (Fig. 3A).