Effectiveness of instillation of triamcinolone acetonide into the middle ear for eosinophilic otitis media associated with bronchial asthma.
BACKGROUND
Eosinophilic otitis media (EOM) is a newly recognized middle ear disease found in asthmatic patients. EOM is characterized by a highly viscous middle ear effusion that contains many eosinophils and is extremely unresponsive to conventional treatments for common otitis media. To our knowledge, no systemic study regarding the efficacy of treatments for EOM has been performed.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the effectiveness of instillation of triamcinolone acetonide, which is a suspension of steroids, into the mesotympanum and eustachian tube as a treatment for patients with EOM.


METHODS
We studied the efficacy of the instillation of triamcinolone acetonide in 43 ears of 24 patients with EOM. Efficacy was evaluated according to the length of the period without middle ear effusion or otorrhea. We also determined the otomicroscopic findings and the hearing levels before and after therapy. For controls, 27 ears of 14 patients treated by topical administration of betamethasone were similarly evaluated.


RESULTS
The middle ear effusion or otorrhea was controlled for more than 3 weeks after 1 instillation of triamcinolone acetonide in 35 ears, and the efficacy rate (81%) was significantly higher than that in the controls (7 ears, 26%). In the triamcinolone acetonide group, the average air conduction hearing level at the speech frequency range was significantly improved, and deterioration of the bone conduction hearing threshold was rarely found during therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
The instillation of triamcinolone acetonide into the mesotympanum and eustachian tube is an effective treatment for patients with EOM.
Iino
Yukiko
Y
Department of Otolaryngology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. yiino@omiya.jichi.ac.jp
Nagamine
Hisayo
H
Kakizaki
Keiko
K
Komiya
Takashi
T
Katano
Hiroaki
H
Saruya
Shoji
S
Kodera
Kazuoki
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications; D004432:Ear, Middle; D004802:Eosinophilia; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide