Increased risk of otitis media with effusion in allergic children presenting with adenoiditis.

Abstract

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a common disorder in childhood. The aim of the study was to assess the association of atopy and endoscopic features with the presence of OME. This cross-sectional study evaluated 287 children presenting with acute upper-airway infections persistent for at least ten days and tested through nasal endoscopy and skin-prick test. Fifty-three patients had a diagnosis of OME; out of them, 23 showed acute rhinosinusitis, ten adenoiditis, and 20 both features. OME was diagnosed in 26 atopic children and in 27 nonatopic ones. On a multivariable analysis, allergic rhinitis, endoscopic pattern of adenoiditis, and younger age were all shown to be independently associated with a diagnosis of OME. This study suggests that allergic rhinitis and adenoiditis are significant risk factors to OME development and that the risk becomes higher when these two conditions are concomitantly present.