title: Frequency of Otitis Media with Effusion in recurrent upper respiratory tract infection in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) in children with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Combined Military Hospital, Gujranwala, from September 2003 to September 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children of either gender suffering from more than 2 episodes of upper respiratory tract infection in the last 12 weeks were studied. The inclusion criteria were mild intermittent ear pain, fullness or "popping" of the ear drum; poor response to normal speech, inattentiveness, behavioural changes; irritability, sleep disturbances; balance problems and poor school performance. Diagnosis of OME was confirmed by pneumatic otoscopy while tuning-fork tests, tympanometry, pure tone audiometry were used as adjunct investigations. Results were described in percentage and 95% confidence interval was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 350 referred cases, pneumatic otoscopy by otolaryngologists diagnosed OME in 147 (42%, 95% CI=37.9-47.1). Out of these, 112 (76%) had retracted tympanic membrane, 25 (17%) had bulging of tympanic membrane and 10/147 (6.08%) cases showed dullness of tympanic membrane with no additional features. Tympanometry confirmed fluid behind the tympanic membrane in 145/147 (98.6%) cases. Tuning-fork tests showed negative Rinne's test in 122 (83%). Pure tone audiometry diagnosed deafness in 138/147 (93.8%) cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OME with hearing loss is common in children having recurrent upper respiratory tract infection and nonspecific ear-related symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Maqbool
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raza
authors.forename: Jawad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jalil
authors.forename: Mobeen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shafique
authors.forename: Tariq
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ghafoor
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D038781:Otoscopy / Q000379:methods; D012008:Recurrence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*