Role of immunoglobulin E and gastro-esophageal reflux disease in the development of otitis media with effusion.

INTRODUCTION

The role of allergy in chronic otitis media with effusion (OME) is controversial.

AIM OF THE WORK: To study the role of allergy and gastroesphogeal reflux diseases in the etiology of OME.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

It is a prospective study that was done on 43 cases; 30 patients suffer from OME with mean age 6.8 years and 13 control child with mean age 8.3 years. Blood sample were taken from patients and control children for assay of total Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and serum pepsinogen 1 (PG1). Effusion fluid samples were taken from middle ear of the patients during myringotomy and ventilation tube insertion; IgE and PG1 were assayed in the effusion samples. Total IgE and PG1 were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

Our results showed that, there is a correlation between serum IgE and Effusion IgE in the patients group, there is a significant negative correlation between PG1 in the effusion and serum of the studied patients.

CONCLUSION

Allergy is a possible risk factor for the development of OME. The level of PG1in the effusion is one tenth of its level in the serum of the patients.