Prevalence and risk factors for persistent otitis media with effusion in primary school children in Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract Objective To determine the impact of environmental, epidemiologic and familial factors in the development of persistent otitis media with effusion (OME-OME treated with antibiotics and followed additional 12 weeks) in primary school children in Istanbul. Materials and methods A total of 1800 children who were attending 4 different primary schools in Sisli and Beyoglu districts of Istanbul were screened and 1740 children who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled into this study. Questionnaires prepared in the Otorhinolaryngology Clinics of Taksim Research and Training Hospital and the forms were delivered to the parents to be filled the day before examination of each child. The forms were collected during the otoscopic examinations. Pure tone audiometry and tympanometry tests and pneumatic otoscopy were performed on the children who were diagnosed as OME by otoscopic examination. The association between the children diagnosed as OME and the answers to the questionnaires was evaluated. Results The prevalence of persistent OME in this paper was 8.7% (152/1740). Frequency of smoking in both parents ( p < 0.01) and mothers alone ( p < 0.0001), the frequency of acute otitis media (AOM) and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in past 1 year ( p < 0.0001), incidence of attending day care centers and crèches ( p < 0.0001), allergy history ( p < 0.05), the number of siblings ( p < 0.0001) and poor educational status of the parents ( p < 0001) were statistically significant factors among children with OME compared to normal children. Sex factors ( p > 0.05), mothers smoke history during pregnancy ( p > 0.05), relative marriage ( p > 0.05), smoking history of the fathers ( p > 0.05) and duration of breastfeeding ( p > 0.05) were not statistically significant. Conclusion Environmental, epidemiologic and familial factors in the etiology of OME are important. The parents must be informed about the risk factors and symptoms of OME and by this way, the development or delayed diagnosis of the disease that may lead to permanent hearing loss may be prevented.