title: Chronic suppurative otitis media in children of Luanda, Angola.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of clinical characteristics, bacteriology and hearing in paediatric patients with and without chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) in Luanda, Angola.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interview, clinical examination, ear-discharge culture, open air pure-tone audiometry and brainstem auditory-evoked potentials of 23 outpatients with CSOM and 23 controls in a paediatric hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the CSOM vs. control children, 35% vs. 26% had running water, 70% vs. 70% electricity, 64% vs. 0% HIV (p<0.0001) and 36% vs. 0% tuberculosis in history (p=0.002). Ten (43%) children had bilateral CSOM. The major ear-discharge pathogens were Proteus spp. (44%) and Pseudomonas (22%). Hearing impairment of >25 dB was present in 52% of CSOM-affected ears and bilateral hearing loss in 7 (30%) CSOM children vs. zero control child (p=0.009). Only one hearing-impaired child's family had previously detected the handicap.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CSOM occurred in children with high co-morbidity. Persistent otorrhoea was usually caused by Proteus spp. or Pseudomonas, and often suggestive of either HIV or hearing impairment. In the developing countries, prompt diagnosis and treatment of CSOM would enhance the children's linguistic and academic development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki University, Medical Faculty, Helsinki, Finland. anni.taipale@fimnet.fi
authors.forename: Anni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taipale
authors.forename: Tuula
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pelkonen
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taipale
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bernardino
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peltola
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pitkäranta
mesh_terms: D000810:Angola; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003906:Developing Countries; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D038781:Otoscopy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors