Increased risk of otitis media with effusion in allergic children presenting with adenoiditis.
OBJECTIVE
Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a common disorder in childhood. The aim of the study was to assess the association of atopy and endoscopic features with the presence of OME.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study evaluated 287 children presenting with acute upper-airway infections persistent for at least ten days and tested through nasal endoscopy and skin-prick test.


RESULTS
Fifty-three patients had a diagnosis of OME; out of them, 23 showed acute rhinosinusitis, ten adenoiditis, and 20 both features. OME was diagnosed in 26 atopic children and in 27 nonatopic ones. On a multivariable analysis, allergic rhinitis, endoscopic pattern of adenoiditis, and younger age were all shown to be independently associated with a diagnosis of OME.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that allergic rhinitis and adenoiditis are significant risk factors to OME development and that the risk becomes higher when these two conditions are concomitantly present.
Marseglia
Gian Luigi
GL
Dipartimento di Scienze Pediatriche, Università di Pavia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy. gl.marseglia@smatteo.pv.it
Pagella
Fabio
F
Caimmi
Davide
D
Caimmi
Silvia
S
Castellazzi
Anna Maria
AM
Poddighe
Dimitri
D
Klersy
Catherine
C
Ciprandi
Giorgio
G
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000150:complications*