The role of rhinitis in chronic otitis media.

Abstract

We investigated the role of allergic rhinitis in chronic otitis media (otitis media with effusion [OME] and chronic perforation of the tympanic membrane) in São Paulo, Brazil and whether there is any association between these diseases. We studied 51 patients followed in the otologic group of the Otorhinolaryngology Division of the University of São Paulo Hospital. The patients were divided into 3 groups: allergic rhinitis, nonallergic rhinitis with eosinophils syndrome (NARES), and patients with types of rhinitis or without rhinitis. We analyzed the age, gender, intensity of the nasal disease, surgical procedure, and surgical results in each group. We found about 50% of patients presenting with nasal disease and nasal eosinophilia (33.33% of allergic and 15.69% of NARES). Nasal disease has an impact on otologic middle ear disease, considering that the normal nasal mucosa do not have eosinophils.