title: The frequency of otitis media with effusion in British pre-school children: a guide for treatment. ALSPAC Study Team.
abstract: Data on the prevalence of otitis media with effusion (OME) as shown by serial tympanometry is presented for young children during the first 5 years of life. The children were participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ALSPAC); a randomly selected 10% (n = 1400) of whom were selected for examination at ages 8, 12, 18, 25, 31, 37, 43, 49 and 61 months. Whilst sex had no effect, there was a decrease in prevalence of OME with increasing age. There was a marked seasonal effect on the prevalence of OME. Bilateral and unilateral OME were significantly more prevalent in the winter than in the summer months (36.6% in February in children aged 8 months compared with 16% at 61 months and 16.4% in August in children aged 8 months compared with 3.1% at 61 months). The results form an important background against which to assess both the results of screening and also the indications for surgical treatment.
authors: Bristol Children's Hospital, Unit of Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology and Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors: E J
authors: EJ
authors: Midgley
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Dewey
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Pryce
authors: A R
authors: AR
authors: Maw
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D017677:Age Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000592:standards; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology