title: Chronic otitis media and immunoglobulin E-mediated hypersensitivity in adults: is it a contributor of cholesteatoma?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between chronic otitis media (COM) and immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated hypersensitivity in adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective comparative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred seventeen patients with COM from July 2005 to April 2007 were enrolled. All subjects had a questionnaire on allergic rhinitis symptoms and performed allergy tests that included a total IgE and the multiple radioallergosorbent chemiluminescence assay to check the presence of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity and allergic rhinitis were 22.2% and 7.7% in patients with COM, respectively. The mean total IgE was 157.2 ranging from 3 to 1833. The prevalence of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity was similar with regard to the recurrence or bilaterality. However, patients with cholesteatoma had a higher prevalence of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity than patients without that condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity and allergic rhinitis in adults with COM appeared to be higher than in the general population. Allergy might contribute to COM especially in cases with a cholesteatoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Duk
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Yang-Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sung Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Won-Ho
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Kyu-Whan
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018424:Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear / Q000209:etiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E