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Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to study the role of allergy diagnosed by immunoglobulin E (IgE) in the etiology of pediatric otitis media with effusion (OME) by detection of IgE in middle-ear effusion using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Background The role of allergy in chronic OME is controversial. Patients and methods This was a prospective study that was carried out on 80 cases; including 60 pediatric patients diagnosed with chronic OME [resistant to medical treatment for >3 months (type B tympanogram) or recurrent after successful medical treatment]. Patients were subjected to a myringotomy with insertion of a tympanostomy tube (grommet tube). Their age ranged from 2 to 15 years. Twenty children had ENT disease other than OME, mostly adenoidal or tonsillar hypertrophy. The serum level of total IgE was assayed in patients and control groups as well as in the middle-ear effusion of patients. Results The results showed that total IgE was higher in the serum of patients with OME than the serum of the control group; there was a high significant correlation between total IgE in serum and total IgE in effusion in patients with OME. Conclusion Allergy is a possible risk factor for the development of pediatric OME.

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