Eustachian tube function in patients with eosinophilic otitis media associated with bronchial asthma evaluated by sonotubometry.
OBJECTIVE
To determine eustachian tube function in patients with asthma and with or without eosinophilic otitis media (EOM), a new middle ear disease entity with a highly viscous middle ear effusion containing many eosinophils and usually associated with bronchial asthma. One of the most important causes of otitis media (OM) is eustachian tube dysfunction.


METHODS
Retrospective case review.


METHODS
A referral center.


METHODS
Twenty patients with EOM and patients with asthma but without OM.


METHODS
We studied eustachian tube function using sonotubometry and a questionnaire. Sonotubometry was also performed on 13 control patients with chronic otitis media (COM) and 7 normal controls.


RESULTS
The tubal opening duration was significantly longer in patients with EOM than in patients with asthma but without OM, controls with COM, and normal controls, indicating the presence of patulous eustachian tubes in patients with EOM. Responses to the questionnaire also supported the presence of patulous eustachian tubes in the patients with EOM.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of a patulous eustachian tube may be a major cause of EOM in patients with bronchial asthma. In patients with asthma who have a helper T-cell 2-dominant predisposition, a patulous eustachian tube easily allows the entry of antigenic materials into the middle ear, causing eosinophil-dominant inflammation.
Iino
Yukiko
Y
Department of Otolaryngology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. yiino@omiya.jichi.ac.jp
Kakizaki
Keiko
K
Saruya
Shoji
S
Katano
Hiroaki
H
Komiya
Takashi
T
Kodera
Kazuoki
K
Ohta
Ken
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications; D003939:Diagnostic Techniques, Otological; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
D015848:Interleukin-5; D047150:Eosinophil Cationic Protein