Eustachian tube function in young children without a history of otitis media evaluated using a pressure chamber protocol.
CONCLUSIONS
Protocol limitations were identified and accounted for in the analysis. Percent gradient equilibrated (PGE) was affected by driving gradient direction in a similar manner to other efficiency measures. A finer resolution of possible age-related changes in eustachian tube opening efficiency is expected with the application of more sophisticated statistical models to the complete dataset at study end.


OBJECTIVE
To report the results of an interim analysis for an ongoing study designed to characterize the age-related changes in eustachian tube opening efficiency measured using a pressure chamber protocol in children without a history of middle ear disease.


METHODS
To date, 41 children aged 3 years without a history of otitis media have been enrolled in a longitudinal study of the age-related changes in eustachian tube function and evaluated at yearly intervals between 3 and 7 years of age. Eustachian tube opening efficiency, the percent of the applied pressure gradient equilibrated by swallowing, was measured by repeat tympanometry during a pressure chamber protocol. Data (120 tests) were analyzed using an ANOVA with variance partitioned by age (3 through 6 years), gradient direction (positive/negative), and ear (left/right).


RESULTS
PGE was higher for left ears and positive driving gradients, but was not different among age groups.
Department of Otolaryngology, Division of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine , Pittsburgh, PA , USA.
John Douglas
JD
Swarts
Margaretha L
ML
Casselbrant
Miriam S
MS
Teixeira
Ellen M
EM
Mandel
Beverly C
BC
Richert
Juliane M
JM
Banks
Jenna
J
El-Wagaa
William J
WJ
Doyle
D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D000367:Age Factors; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010033:Otitis Media; D012016:Reference Values
Age effects; eustachian tube opening; gradient direction; methodology