title: Oxidative stress in chronic otitis media with effusion.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  The high oxidant levels in chronic otitis media with effusion (OME) observed in our research and the improvement seen in children with chronic OME after antioxidant treatment suggest that oxygen-derived free radicals play an important role in chronic OME.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  OME is a common pathologic condition characterized by nonpurulent fluid in the middle ear (ME) that leads to moderate conductive hearing loss and flat tympanogram. During OME inflammatory cells generate large amounts of superoxide radicals to improve bactericidal activity. Overproduction of oxygen-derived free radicals induces oxidative damage in humans. Glutathione (GSH) is one of the major components of the antioxidant system that protects cells from oxidative stress. The aim of the study was to evaluate oxidative stress in chronic OME by investigation of ME fluids collected during myringotomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  During myringotomy, fluid was collected from the ME to evaluate lipid peroxide levels in the effusion. Fifty-nine children with ME effusion without any resolution after repeated medical treatments were enrolled in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lipid peroxide levels in all samples were high (mean 11.5 nmole/million cells), similar to the values found in other chronic diseases. GSH might be employed during surgery while applying ventilation tubes and after surgery to prevent oxidative stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Second University of Naples, Italy. domenico.testa@unina2.it
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Testa
authors.forename: Germano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marcuccio
authors.forename: Pasquale Gianluca
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Landolfo
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Motta
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation; D009225:Myringoplasty; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D013053:Spectrophotometry
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005978:Glutathione