Otitis media with effusion: study of cases and controls

Abstract

Between July 1988 and May 1989 we studied 100 children aged2-14 years; there were fifty cases of otitis media with effusion (OME) and fifty controls. Each group Included 33 boys and 17 girls. The predominant age group was 2 years. The most frequent clinical manifestations of OME were earache and fever (70% each) and reduced hearing (40%). In 29 cases (58%) and in only 12 controls (24%) enlarged adenoids were found (p < 0.01 ). impaired hearing was significantly most frequent In the cases and the tympanometric curves had direct relationship with reduced hearing. Despite Its high prevalence allergy was not found to be of importance In the etiology of OME; by contrast, enlarged adenoids were the most relevant determinant of this disease In our series.