Interleukin 8 in middle ear fluid during acute otitis media: correlation with aetiology and bacterial eradication.
OBJECTIVE
To study the concentration of interleukin 8 (IL-8) in the middle ear fluid of children with acute otitis media and the association between IL-8 concentrations, aetiology of acute otitis media, and bacteriological sterilisation.


METHODS
Middle ear fluid was obtained by tympanocentesis at enrollment (day 1) and on day 4-5 in 81 children aged 3-36 months with acute otitis media who received antibiotic treatment. IL-8 concentrations were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
101 samples were obtained on day 1 and 47 samples on day 4-5. 94 pathogens were isolated in 79 of 101 samples obtained on day 1: 56 Haemophilus influenzae, 35 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 2 Moraxella catarrhalis, and 1 Streptococcus pyogenes. Among 40 paired, initially culture positive samples, sterilisation was achieved on day 4-5 in 22 but not in 18 (13 H influenzae, 2 S pneumoniae, and 3 H influenzae and S pneumoniae concomitantly). IL-8 was detected in 96 of 101 and 46 of 47 samples obtained on days 1 and 4-5, respectively. Mean (SD) IL-8 concentration on day 1 was significantly higher in culture positive than in negative samples (12,636 (23,317) v 5,920 (7,080) pg/ml). In paired samples, IL-8 concentration fell in 12 of 22 ears in which sterilisation was achieved and in 9 of 21 ears with persistent or new infection. Mean (SD) IL-8 concentrations on day 4-5 were significantly higher in culture positive than in negative samples (15,420 (15,418) v 6,695 (5,092) pg/ml).


CONCLUSIONS
Higher IL-8 concentrations are found in culture positive middle ear fluid in acute otitis media. Bacterial eradication is associated with a fall in these concentrations.
Leibovitz
E
E
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Unit, Soroka University Medical Center and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84101, Israel.
Dagan
R
R
Laver
J H
JH
Piglansky
L
L
Raiz
S
S
Abboud
M R
MR
Fliss
D M
DM
Leiberman
A
A
Barzilai
A
A
D000208:Acute Disease; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D016209:Interleukin-8