Cytokine profile of nasal and middle ear polyps in a patient with Woakes' syndrome and eosinophilic otitis media.

Woakes' syndrome is characterised by severe recurrent nasal polyps in early childhood with broadening of the nose, nasal dyscrinia, frontal sinus aplasia and bronchiectasis. Eosinophilic otitis media (EOM) is an intractable condition that can cause gradual or sudden deterioration of hearing and is associated with comorbid asthma. For these reasons, both diseases must be recognised and treated appropriately. We present a case of a 20-year-old man with Woakes' syndrome complicated by EOM, with polyps in both middle ears; this condition has so far not been described as an entity of eosinophilic disease in the literature. We have, from reviewing the literature, learned that this is the first time that results of tissue examination on nasal polyposis with respect to tissue IgE, eosinophil-cationic protein, interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-5 in a patient with Woakes' syndrome and EOM, has been reported and discussed.