[Adult onset otitis media with effusion: an etiologic study].
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the etiologic causes and the value of nasal endoscopy in adult onset otitis media with effusion (OME).


METHODS
The study included 50 patients with adult-onset OME (28 males, 22 females; mean age 46 years; range 18 to 41 years). Pneumatic otoscopy, otomicroscopy, pure-tone audiometry and tympanometry were performed in all patients. The nasal cavity and the nasopharynx were examined by nasal endoscopy. Skin prick tests were performed and serum specific IgE levels were determined in all patients. Computed tomography scans of the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx, and the skull base were obtained when indicated.


RESULTS
Adult-onset OME was bilateral in 24 patients. Allergy was detected in three patients. Four patients had marked septal deviation. Mucopurulent discharge in the middle meatus was observed in 20 patients and polypoid tissue in the lateral nasal wall in two patients. Mucoid and purulent discharge and edema were observed at the orifice of the eustachian tube in 13 patients and 10 patients, respectively. Biopsies obtained from nasopharyngeal masses revealed squamous cell carcinoma in one patient and lymphoid hyperplasia in four patients.


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that nasal endoscopy was a reliable method in the investigation of etiologic factors in adult-onset OME.
Ozcan
Cengiz
C
Department of Otolaryngology, Medicine Faculty of Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey. cengizozcan@hotmail.com
Görür
Kemal
K
Unal
Murat
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D038781:Otoscopy; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000150:complications; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012882:Skin Tests; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D007073:Immunoglobulin E