Secretory otitis media. Comparison of nasal and aural cytology

Aural and nasal cytology is compared in a series of 105 patients with secretory otitis media (SOM). In aural smears the cellular picture consisted mainly of lymphocytes, leukocytes and phagocytes but eosinophils and basophilic cells were absent. In the nose, the most frequent cells were leukocytes, while lymphocytes were seldom seen in greater numbers. Increased numbers of eosinophils were found in 20% of the patients. IgE values in the serum of 69 patients and in 8 aural effusions were mostly within normal limits and SOM could not be considered to be a result of circulating IgE-dependent reaction. Cytotoxic leukocyte test with food allergens to test this etiologic factor in SOM is at present in progress.