title: [Otitis media with effusion: a study of 346 cases in an outpatient clinic].
abstract: We treated 346 patients with otitis media with effusion (OME) and 30 (127 episodes) with recurrent acute suppurative otitis media at our outpatient clinic in the 6 years from October 1994 to September 2000. Of these, children under 15 years old numbered 185, mostly boys at a ratio of 1.4: 1.0, while patients aged 15 years or older numbered 161, mostly females at a ratio of 1.3: 1.0. In children, 24 were excluded due to a lack of diagnostic follow-up, 65 (40%) patients improved in conservative management of medication with and without repeated tubal inflation, 79 (49%) improved by paracentesis, and 18 (11%) recovered with the use of pressure equalization tubes (grommets). Of cases aged 15 years or older, follow-up was not possible in 28. Three (2%) were free of OME by conservative treatment, 116 (87%) improved by paracentesis, and 9 (7%) by using tubes. The mean durations of tube insertion was 11.3 months in children and 7.2 months in adults, but 5 adults (4%) continue being treated of this writing. Bilateral cases were 30% of children and 8% of adults with 73% of children affected bilaterally having persistence or recurrence. Acute purulent otitis media progressed to OME in 22% of children but only in 3% of patients aged 15 or older. In 36% of children and 26% of patients aged 15 or older, acute upper respiratory tract infection coincided with or predisposed to OME. Rhinosinusitis was seen in 19% of children and 14% of adults. Coincident allergic rhinitis was seen in 14% of children and 12% of adults with OME. Nasopharyngeal infection and allergy are likely related to OME development. The peak incidence of OME was similar to that of recurrent suppurative otitis media in children, so a seminal precipitating factor appears to result in these 2 conditions.
authors.affiliation: Ogawa Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, Tokyo.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogawa
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014041:Tokyo / Q000453:epidemiology