title: Surgery for glue ear--a modern epidemic.
abstract: Analysis of routine hospital statistics confirms anecdotal reports of an epidemic of surgery for glue ear. The surgical rate rose by 74% in Oxford Region between 1975 and 1981. The peak ages for surgery are 5-7 years, and the rates are higher in boys than in girls (1.4:1.00). The relative risk is high in social class I (1.16) and low in social class V (0.61). Although the prevalence of glue ear is hard to ascertain, the current surgical epidemic probably reflects an increase in apparent prevalence rather than a real increase in morbidity.
mesh_terms: D000233:Adenoidectomy; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000453:epidemiology; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000601:surgery*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D014068:Tonsillectomy; D014852:Wales