Normalized immunoglobulin patterns in adults with recurrent acute otitis media and low IgG2 levels during early childhood.
OBJECTIVE
Children who suffer from recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM) sometimes display low immunoglobulin levels. It is not known whether the differences in immunoglobulin levels remain during adulthood or if rAOM-patients have more episodes of AOM and airway infections as adults.


METHODS
A study on adults, with a history of rAOM during childhood, was performed. The immunologic status and individual disposition for upper airway infections were evaluated in 28 subjects who originally participated in a study on rAOM between 1979 and 1983. 13 subjects had suffered from rAOM during early childhood and 15 subjects without rAOM served as a control group. The study included analysis of immunoglobulins in serum and self evaluation regarding susceptibility to infections of the upper airway.


RESULTS
There was no difference between the groups neither regarding IgG2 concentrations nor specific antibody levels. No episodes of AOM were reported after 20 years of age in any of the study subjects. The history of airway infections was similar in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Study subjects who had rAOM combined with low IgG2 levels during childhood had a normalized immunoglobulin pattern as adults.
Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Karolinska University Hospital at Huddinge, Sweden. Electronic address: mattias.krakau@karolinska.se.
Mattias
M
Krakau
Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Karolinska University Hospital at Huddinge, Sweden.
Britta Rynnel
BR
Dagöö
Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine at Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden.
Lennart
L
Hammarström
Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Karolinska University Hospital at Huddinge, Sweden.
Anna
A
Granath
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000276:immunology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000276:immunology*
D007074:Immunoglobulin G
Immunoglobulin; Recurrent acute otitis media