Role of adenoids and adenoiditis in children with allergy and otitis media.
Adenoids and/or tonsil inflammation with concomitant obstructive hypertrophy is one of the oldest and most common pediatric problems. Adenoids are a component of Waldeyer's ring and because of their anatomic position can be relevant in the pathogenesis of otitis media when they are inflamed and/or enlarged. Adenoid pads can create mechanical eustachian tube obstruction. Therefore, in some cases, adenoidectomy may have a role in the clinical management of otitis media with effusion. However, eustachian tube dysfunction related to the adenoids may also have an allergy-related functional component. Allergic inflammation has been described for middle ear effusion, and some studies have reported that mast cells increase and allergic mediators release in adenoids as well. Nasal endoscopy has a key role in confirming a diagnosis of adenoid hypertrophy and/or adenoiditis and in detecting an association between adenoid inflammation/infection and otitis media with effusion, especially during infancy and early childhood.
Marseglia
Gian Luigi
GL
Department of Pediatric Sciences, Foundation IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo-University of Pavia, P.le Golgi, 2-27100, Pavia, Italy. gl.marseglia@smatteo.pv.it
Poddighe
Dimitri
D
Caimmi
Davide
D
Marseglia
Alessia
A
Caimmi
Silvia
S
Ciprandi
Giorgio
G
Klersy
Catherine
C
Pagella
Fabio
F
Castellazzi
Anna Maria
AM
D000234:Adenoids / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology